Circle Of Sisters
by MoonLover68
Summary: This is the sequel to 'Once Bitten' and 'Dark Moon Brother'. Complete!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The 10th Kingdom characters and places potrayed within are the property of Simon Moore and the actors who played them. All other characters are my own invention.

Authors Notes: This is a sequel to "Once Bitten" and "Dark Moon Brother", both listed on this site. If you haven't read these stories, you won't understand what is going on in this one! If you _do_ wish to read them, then please don't read anything of this one first, because major plot points are given away in the first chapter! Otherwise, sit back and enjoy the ride! This story is complete, with a chapter to be posted every day.

Cheers, Karen :)

Circle Of Sisters

1. _What Lies Hidden_

Time was not usually an issue for those outside of life, but the witch knew that yet another year had passed her by. Long she had lain, mostly undisturbed, alone with her thoughts, which were in effect her only remaining source of true power and control. The lust for these things had not dimmed with the seasons, nor bodily death. She recalled now that very hour, her wretched body at last releasing her soul (and yes, she did have one, despite all things done to her) to dwell here in the darkness. All her hopes had rested with the young woman, but now that student was herself dead. The witch snarled in the darkness as she remembered reaching out to the woman on that day her daughter had struck her down.

"My Christine. My powerful successor! What has happened here? Why have all our plans gone astray once more?" she had called through the ether. The light had been as blinding as before, and she had turned her face from it. The spirit of Christine had wavered uncertainly as all newly created ghosts do, unsure of what had happened to it. The witch had reached out, grasping at the nothingness of the apparition.

"Come back with me then, I bid you. Join your power to mine. Let us rest, recover. Another opportunity will present itself. Maybe in this very child that has slain your body" she had whispered in the ear of Christine. But she had overplayed her hand then. Christine had turned away from the light for a moment, and the witch had chuckled in delight at the new power coming her way. But it was not to be. Christine had raised her face to look her tutor in the eye, and the witch had seen there that the commonly known 'Evil Queen' of the 4th Kingdom had found the inner peace denied her for so long. She had not transferred her physical corruption to the spiritual as the witch had.

"You would do to my daughter that which you did to me?" Christine had whispered, but boldly now, no longer the deferential young woman that the witch had become used to.

"But yes. Look. Even now she lies weeping over your body. Think of all that guilt, ready to be tapped. She would be a worthy successor to us. She would not be able to resist you, my Christine. Let us empower her, together" the witch had replied, coaxing. But the countenance of Christine had glowed suddenly as she smiled.

"Oh no, Hera. Your influence stops with my death. My daughter weeps, certainly, but those very tears are even now cleansing my wicked soul. Virginia has opened my eyes to my own corruption. Never will I go that way again, and neither will my child, nor her children". With that, the ether had blazed suddenly with light, and the witch had cowered before it, cursing the source of it, the emptiness that surrounded her now. Christine had gone. Her most apt pupil, the one she had invested so much time and energy into, had simply vanished into the afterlife with nary a backwards glance. The witch had seethed with anger.

"You are a fool, Christine! Think that I cannot accomplish my goals without you?" she had screeched aloud in the void, hearing her own words echo over and over. Someone had laughed quietly then, a young girlish giggle. Hera cursed the day she had first heard it. Withdrawing from the place, she had returned, defeated, back to the crypt where her body lay, the body that she had ensorcelled to decay only at the slowest possible rate. But decay it would, eventually, and what then would become of Hera? The witch did not know.

Since that day she had kept only the barest awareness on the world above. She knew that the girl Virginia had prospered, finding love with the traitorous half-wolf. She watched with a detached interest as the girl's belly swelled and the Moon Goddess came forth to Bless the cursed child when it had slithered forth from it's mother. Family units were the hardest to destroy, Hera knew, and this one had not the slightest chink in it's emotional armour. Nothing for her subtle influence to find a foothold. None of her whisperings had reached the ears of Wolf and Virginia during the past turn of the seasons. Even Snow White had lessened her pathetic protection of the family of late, withdrawing to the company of more exalted beings, leaving the girl and her lover to their fate. And for a while, as their cub grew strong and their lives prospered, it seemed that nothing would ever interupt their sickly happiness. But, as was the way of the world (and Hera knew all about the pattern of lives), something unexpected had happened in that little cottage by the forest.

Hera had only known of the commotion when a spiritual minion had informed her of the prescence of the girl in the void, her life hanging by a thread, waiting on the ever heroic half wolf to save it once again. Hera left her crypt, meaning to go at once to the place, but had found herself barred quite effectively by another presence. The old woman from the strange 10th Kingdom had scowled fiercely at Hera as she approached and the spirit-Virginia had remained ignorant of the whole exchange.

"Ah ha, I was wondering what was taking you so long, earthbound witch" the old woman had taunted Hera. "Are you losing your touch then, dearie?" she had continued, grinning from ear to ear as Hera tried unsuccessfully to broach the barrier.

"Do not think to cross me, old crone" Hera had threatened, but it was an empty gesture as they both knew. Hera would be denied access to the vulnerable Virginia-spirit. But then Hera didn't quite believe that the girl would die here anyway. She had forseen always a long life for her, at any rate, with many trials. An opportunity to get to the girl would come eventually, she had reasoned, but she had not expected it to be so soon. Virginia was after all in that cycle of her life when, traditionally, life was kinder to women. _Virgin, Mother, Crone_. The three phases of a woman's life. The more portents surrounding a woman, the greater the tests. All knew this. As the _Virgin_, this girl had faced tremendous upheaval. She had been uprooted from her comfortable life and thrust into a wild adventure, learning her own strengths and weaknesses. She had effectively controlled the progress of her love affair with the dangerous suitor, holding him at bay until the moment of her choosing. She had confronted the corruption of her own mother and defeated it, yet not without grief and renewed loss. Hera had been frankly amazed at the girl's progress through the test, even going so far as to admire her mettle during their brief encounter in her crypt. Something big must be planned for this Virginia, she had thought at the time, to cause her such pain and fear in the quest for self-knowledge. Hera wanted to be a part of that something big, yet she felt that those days of reckoning might be far off.

But now, barely a year into the second phase of her life, that of the _Mother, _the air swirled once more with the whiff of advancing trials and tribulations for Virginia. Hera could scarcely believe her good fortune. Virginia had not come fully into her awareness of the role and power of the Mother. She was too young still, unprepared. Vulnerable. Especially now, when something had happened to her physical self. Hera did not fully understand just what had occurred, she only knew that Virginia had undergone the first part of a major change. It was brewing under the surface of the girl's skin. A transformation. Hera wondered if it were connected to the creature that had brought her so close to death a few nights ago. She cast her mind wide, sensing for the man, the stranger from the 10th Kingdom. Almost at once she felt the tumult of his mind. Hera almost swelled with the guilt she sensed radiating from him. Ah yes, guilt was the most effective tool when used properly. She withdrew into herself, focussing. So much energy to spend now. She hoped it would be worth it. Carefully, a thin beam of her awareness formed itself within her mind. It was so much harder now with the brain decaying, even as slowly as it was. After a time, she had garnered enough focus to leave her body and she passed up through the roof of her decrepit hut and out over the expanse of the swamp. She hovered a moment, homing in on the man, smiling to see that he wasn't all that far away, and alone. She came to him as he huddled for shelter under an old mossy log, still in the disenchanted forest. A wet, bedraggled creature he was now, his body raging with fever and infection from a great wound in his back. In his stupor, he turned his head slightly and she knew with a thrill that he saw her. Perfect. She knew he beheld her as the great beauty she once had been and she forced a smile to her lips.

"Are you in pain, child?" she asked. He nodded once and she saw the bitterness in his eyes. She held out her hand, allowing herself to disappate with the breeze as he reached for it.

"Then come to me" she said softly. She went back to her corpse, satisfied that the seed she had planted in this man's mind would lead him to her. She made her dead lips move.

"We will be having company soon. See that all is made ready" she said through cracked and rotting teeth, watching as the man with the missing eye leapt to obey her.

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Roses were the most magical of things, Virginia thought. Each one unique, a tiny world contained within itself, each one a provider of sustenence, shelter, and beauty. She was sitting cross-legged on the grass in the front garden, watching the morning dew on the buds and leaves burning off with the rising sun. She reached up to draw down a great crimson bloom, breathing in it's spicy sweet scent. Never had the scents of such things captivated her as they did this day. But then again, never had she paid that much attention to them. Now, scents and smells crowded her nostrils, each beckoning, tantalising, taunting her to identify them. Virginia shook her head slightly in puzzlement. Her enhanced senses obviously did not come with their own instruction manual. Roses at least were easy to identify and they inadvertently screened out some of the more strange smells to be found on any farm. She half smiled at herself. Here she was, getting picky already. Only a few days had passed since she had been marked by the werewolf Elias and since that first awakening, a strange calm had settled over her. She supposed that the calmness might in itself be a part of the disease process, a way of keeping the newborn lycanthrope from leaping off the nearest cliff. She tried to recall if Elias had ever described it that way. It was a euphoric sensation, at any rate, but then Virginia knew next to nothing about the physical processes that had gone on in her body since that night and she suspected that Elias had garnered little knowledge from his maker either.

She shifted a little, restless again. The great gaping wound left on her torso a few nights past was healing well, with some of the stitches starting to disappear already under the new flesh. She could walk without difficulty, but some sitting positions were uncomfortable still, the slashed muscles complaining as she unknowingly hindered their reconstruction work. Virginia felt like a work in progress, except that someone had thrown out the original plans and replaced them with something completely different. Yet, how different was she, really? Her mind was still her own, that she was sure of. She was still Virginia, a strong capable woman, a loving mother, a cherished mate. A monster. Virginia shivered despite the warm morning sun. No, never call yourself that, she told herself firmly. Not that word. But then, what else? Werewolf? Lycanthrope? She rolled the words silently in her mouth, not liking them, but accepting that she would have to get used to them, for now anyway. Or maybe forever. Her heart pounded a moment at the thought of spending the rest of her life like this. The trouble was, of course, that right now, sitting in the sun, surrounded and feeling a part of the vast natural world, her new condition didn't seem all that bad a thing. Again, she suspected that the disease process was at work, ensuring it's own survival, but did that mean that it was a living, sentient thing with it's own plans? Had it conciously resisted the magics worked upon Elias?

She wondered where he was, her unwitting creator. Wolf had left him in the forest, not willing to drag him back here against his will. Wolf had meant to go back for him, she knew, and yet some days had passed and he had shown no inclination to do so. Virginia couldn't blame Wolf for his reluctance, any more than she could bring herself to feel anger towards Elias. It made her think about fate all of a sudden. Wolf was a great believer in fate, she knew. He saw signs and portents in everything and was generally much more accepting of things than she was. And yet, he had fought hard for Virginia's life. He had stepped up and taken fate out of the equation, using resources and careful planning to ensure the result of _his_ choosing. Virginia wondered if he felt something like superstitious fear that he would somehow be punished for his interference. Maybe he thought that her becoming a werewolf was exactly that. He had been typically silent on the matter, but that would have to change soon, she realised. What happened to her affected him and Caelum. But she knew he had been watching her closely since they realised what had happened. Although he usually kept her at a certain level of awareness (he knew just where she was most of the time, and what she was doing), Virginia had definately noticed an increase in his observation of her, and he was not even trying to be subtle about it either. His green eyes followed her everywhere. They had sparkled at her in the darkness of their bedroom when she had returned from the bathroom, they had roved back and forth over her at breakfast, watching every little movement, gesture. When she had stared back pointedly at him, letting him know she was aware of his scrutiny, he had just smiled secretly and continued on.

Virginia wondered whether she really did appear all that different. Elias had displayed no outward signs of being a werewolf, no long fingernails and hairy palms, and neither did she (thank heavens!), but then even Virginia had noticed his mannerisms as being wolf like and that had been before she even knew what he was. Did Wolf find her more attractive now, or less? Putting herself in Wolf's place, she supposed that he might find her new skills and senses exciting, just as if he had mated another half-wolf instead of a human woman. But he had never reproached or belittled her humanity, her lack of awareness; rather she felt that it gave him an extra sense of responsiblity for her safety. Virginia knew that his pride in his ability to look after her had been dealt a sore blow, but she was infinately glad that he hadn't been there that night. He would have launched himself at the werewolf without a second thought and probably have been killed for his effort, or worse, they could both be sitting here visualising what was going to happen to them one month from now. She laughed quietly at the thought. Wolf was bad enough at full moon time and she could only imagine how cranky he would be had he the werewolf in him as well. Which raised another issue altogether. When would she change anyway? At the new moon, when she had been first made, or the full moon? If it was the full moon, then she had less than two weeks to prepare for it, however that might be done. Did she want to change at all? She stared back up at the rose bush. Beautiful as it was, it hadn't really helped her decide what to do next. If she had any decision to make, that is. Even if she wanted out of this whole thing, what could really be done? Elias had tried, and failed miserably, to cure himself. Magic couldn't be trusted to undo what had been done to them. Virginia sighed and reached to snap the stem of the huge bloom, wincing suddenly as a stray thorn jabbed into her palm. She stared as the tiny drop of blood swelled out of the wound. A sweet, coppery scent, yes, that was the scent of blood she thought to herself. Then she remembered Snow White. Had not Snow's own mother pricked her finger, and in the drops of blood that fell, foreseen the fate of her unborn daughter? Virginia stared hard at the devious appearance of the rose and then, in a fit of sudden anger, she shredded it to bits.


	2. Chapter 2

Circle Of Sisters

2. In Dreams

The crescent moon hung low in the sky, casting little light through the half open window of the cottage, but it was more than enough for Wolf to see by. Probably enough for his Virginia as well, he thought, feeling his insides squirming at the thought. It was late in the night and some small woodland noise had awakened him as it often did, but he had found himself unable to return to sleep. Far too many things to worry over, his half human mind rebuked him. It had been only a week since Caelum's ill fated naming day and the near constant stress since that night had begun to take it's toll on Wolf. He knew he had dark circles under his eyes, his light beard grew unkempt and his head and shoulders ached from the tension he held in check. His darling Virginia had become so self absorbed in her burgeoning transformation that he doubted she even noticed these things, he thought. But he couldn't blame her, nor carry any anger over it. It wasn't her fault and he had to admit the truth that he really had no idea just what such a change might mean to her, or to any human. He took his natural skills for granted, he knew, as did all half-wolf's, though he could do little else since he had been born with them.

Wolf rolled on to his side, peering through the semi darkness at Virginia. She lay on her back, asleep as innocently as any child. Her face was smooth, untroubled at the moment and he studied it avidly, as if trying to commit her beauty to stone in his mind. Her breast rose and fell with deep even breaths. He wanted to touch her suddenly, intimately, but he withheld his hand, not wanting to wake her. To distract himself, he pictured her as she had been just a few nights ago, lying bleeding on the doorstep of their house. Elsie had scrubbed at the bloodstained cobbles, but the heavy scent was still there, detectable to every half-wolf who crossed the threshold. Wolf decided that he would probably have to replace them altogether. The kitchen table where she had lain for so many hours had already been thrown out and Wolf knew that his brother Willem had been hammering and sawing another one to fill the lounge room. Willem had also fixed the broken windows and had been tending the sheep and chickens. He had overlooked Virginia's vegetable patch, Wolf had noticed, but then, what half-wolf knew how to grow cabbages and pumpkins?

Wolf had been very glad when Willem had decided to stay around for a while. His brother was unmated still, yet he claimed that he had a daughter-cub, Alice, the product of a summer spent with a travelling gypsy troop in the far north of the 2nd Kingdom some five years ago. Willem's eyes had sparkled in much the same way that Wolf's usually did when he descibed his daughter.

"You know, I passed by their camp on my way here, just to see her, how she fares. She's going to be a great beauty, for sure. She's quite tall for her age, with long hair and pale skin. She's the favourite of the camp, a real clown of a cub" Willem had gushed.

"You must miss her a lot"

"Oh yes, of course I do, but I always know where they are and I'm always welcome there. Her mother, well she's the independant type, you know? She has always refused my offers to make our mating more formalised, but then I guess that's just the way of the gypsy folk. No ties, never in one place too long."

"Hmm. So you don't have any other cubs travelling the gypsy pathways do you?" Wolf had asked, fishing for information.

"No, definately not. Why?"

"Oh, just that there was a camp destroyed in the forest here more than a year ago, by the old Huntsman. We met them one night and they had a boy-cub about ten summers old with them. But he didn't know who his father was, so I've never been able to let him know, even if he knew the boy existed"

"I see. It's a great pity when any cub is lost, known or otherwise". Willem paused gravely. "Wolf, the word came back down the line today. James' parents are too grieved to come here yet, but I think that they will, eventually. But they thanked us for performing the rites." Wolf had winced at the memory of the boy's death and Willem had wisely changed the topic, albeit to one equally sensitive.

"Brother, what has become of Virginia? I didn't know her before all this happened, but still, something has happened to her. She's not responding to things in the way human's usually do. She heard me coming up on her yesterday well before she should have been able to, and she knew that I had just been holding Caelum _and _that Caelum had been chasing the chickens again. I don't know what to make of this, Wolf, but Elsie and I are worried. And we know that you know these things. Will you tell me what is going on?" he had asked. Wolf had sighed. Of course the other half-wolf's would have noticed. He could only imagine what they had been thinking. Trouble was, could he really betray Virginia's confidences to them? She and Wolf hadn't even really discussed it between themselves since that morning when it had become apparent. Wolf had been hesitant to raise the issue. He knew she needed some time and space to digest and process what had happened to her. It was a problem that was uniquely hers, at any rate.

"Yes Willem, something unexpected _has_ happened to my mate. But, forgive me, I cannot go into the details just yet. When, when she confides in me, then, well I may be able to speak about it. But I just don't know so many things. What she's thinking, or cripes, even what I'm thinking about the whole thing. It was no ordinary creature that attacked her, Willem and it has left no ordinary scar upon her. I'm afraid, brother, more than I have ever been. I just can't see the way forward. I feel like I'm about to go moon crazy"

"I can see it. I think you need to force the issue, and soon. Either that, or go out and hunt something big! Yes, we can go together. A good chase and kill is just what you need, little brother" Willem had replied, and Wolf had almost laughed to hear the typical wolfie 'solution to everything' trotted out. Hunt and kill indeed! His brother was right, of course, he did need to let off some of his building agitation, lest he inflict it on those who did not deserve it, those he loved.

His love for Virginia, at least, he had never doubted, nor wavered from. It was as constant as the Moon's cycles. Did Virginia belong to the Goddess now, just as he did? He stirred a little on the soft mattress, breathing deep of her scent. The faint aroma of womb-blood came to him, Virginia's own moon cycles going about their ancient rythum. Would Virginia still want more cubs if she was a werewolf? What would the cubs be like anyway? Wolf didn't know. He really needed to track down Elias again, he realised with a pang of discomfort. He'd been putting it off for too long. The man might even be dead, and Wolf had to admit that deep down he had hoped that might be true. But it was perfectly normal to want to avoid unpleasant and painful confrontations, he counselled himself in the darkness. Yet, he and Virginia needed answers, if not guidance, from the lycanthrope on what lay ahead for them. Wolf rubbed at his forehead in frustration. Stupid! Of course they knew what lay ahead, at least the most obvious part. Wolf forced himself to consider having to lock Virginia up in a cage every full moon. It could be done, he knew, but, would his Virginia survive such an awful process month after month, year after year? Would she grow bitter, resentful, detached from the world as Elias had? Knowing her as well as he did, Wolf thought that very likely. She still doubted her own value, even after all she had accomplished. She would not like Wolf being a part of such a violent life. She would push him away for sure. Wolf dashed away a tear from the corner of his eye, feeling Virginia stir slightly beside him and sigh in her sleep. He turned to look at her again, seeing her eyes roving restlessly under the lids, knowing she was dreaming again. He wished he could wake up himself.

_She ran as fast as she ever had before, but it was effortless, like floating above the ground. The trees and undergrowth flew by, blurred, the wind on her face blowing her hair back. The breeze was intoxicating. She felt so alive tonight. The world was her's for the taking it seemed. She felt no fear, and she knew just what an unusual situtation that was. For the female of any species, let alone a small human woman, to run unafraid through the dark forest, well, no one could ever deny the extraordinary freedom of that._

_The moonlight lit the way ahead. Her prey was losing speed at last, but it had given a gallant attempt at flight. She salivated at the thought of the fresh meat and blood that would soon be her's for the taking. Ahh yes, meat, warm. The earlier morsel that the prey had tried to hide had been but an appetiser. Now, she wanted to gorge. _Wake up, Virginia_. The voice floated through her mind and she snarled in response. She was awake, and starved too! She crashed through the trees, seeing her prey once more, but he was no longer the strong, calm one that he had been. Now, he bent nearly double with, what? Exhaustion? Desperation? No, it was grief. How strange, that he grieved. _Wake up, Virginia_. Did the prey say that? No matter now. She raised her claws to strike. Her claws?_

Wake, now!_ Oh, no, not now, not when she was so close. He had to die. Why? Because it was the natural order of things. Tonight, she was the hunter. But, that face, those green eyes...she screamed, but the only sound that came out...was, a howl._

Virginia screamed herself awake at last. For a moment, she thrashed and fought the strong arms around her, not hearing his gentle but panicked whispers to her.

"There there love, you're awake now, come on, calm now, I'm here, I'm here" he droned softly over and over and she heard her own screams lessening, subsiding to great sobbing gasps as she was rocked back and forth. Her face was damp with sweat and now her tears added to it. Vaguely she was aware of Caelum crying in the next room, wakened by the noise, and she heard Elsie creeping up the stairs and going down the corridor to his bedroom. After a minute, his hiccupping sobs ceased as Elsie likely rocked and sung to him. It pained her momentarily that another woman did for her son what she should be doing. What sort of mother was she? The answer, a very shaken one, she knew, one not able to trust herself to be calm enough to quiet a frightened cub. And she was afraid that Caelum would look into his mother's eyes and see there what she had just done to him in her dream.

She felt her heart beating at an alarming rate. The adrenalin washed out of her body in a great rush, leaving her feeling shaky and sick. Wolf still held her close to his body and she felt him reach for the blankets she had flung wide in her panic, drawing them back up over her trembling shoulders. She heard him growl quietly out the window to Willem and she found herself listening avidly to the language. She still didn't know what they were saying, yet she could hear each and every syllable now in what before had been just a monotone rumble. He was probably telling his brother that everything was alright now. Except that it wasn't. Nothing would ever be alright again. She whimpered and he drew her whole body against his, running his hand through her hair and down her back. Gradually she forced her body to be soothed by his touch as it had been so many times before. She felt his lips kiss her forehead and cheeks. In the dim light she saw his green eyes glowing just a little and saw the fear and worry in them, or was she simply seeing her own expression mirrored in his? Her mouth was dry, but she wanted to speak.

"I don't want this, Wolf" she managed to croak out.

"I know, love"

"I tried, I really did, to think of this thing as a blessing in disguise, a bonus, you know? When I first guessed that this had happened, well, it seemed both horrible and fascinating at the same time. I think I have always envied and admired your wild senses, and for a long time I have felt that a great part of my son's life will be...apart from mine, that he and you will have a whole language and world that I can't ever be a part of. It's stupid, I know, but when I realised that I could at least learn something of what you two were born with, well, it seemed a good thing to me, and I thought that you might be happy too."

"I didn't even guess that you might be feeling excluded from Caelum's life, or mine for that matter. I feel bad now that it never even occurred to me. I'm sorry Virginia, I'm a stupid wolf sometimes. But, surely you must know that Caelum and I love you and always will, regardless. Your being human has never mattered to me and nor would it ever have bothered our son. We both know this, don't we?" Wolf replied, lifting Virginia's chin slightly to look at him.

"Yes, you're right, I know it, Wolf, really I do, it's just..."

"Elias' touch has opened up the world for you. No one could blame you for embracing it. Didn't Elias himself tell us that it was that way for him as well? But something has changed your mind, hasn't it?"

"Yes. I killed him, our own son, and then I hunted you, and, and I _enjoyed_ it, Wolf. In the dream, I was strong, unassailable. I looked on you and saw only prey and yet I still knew who you were. You can't imagine what that's like, or, maybe you can, but at least you have the self control that I didn't have" Virginia said. Wolf's smile was brittle in the gloom.

"Well, most of the time" he replied, huffing quietly, but Virginia could see that he was very disturbed by her dream revelations. Wolf put a lot of thought into the meaning of dreams, she knew.

"But it's all a pointless exercise isn't it? What's the point of choosing when there is no choice to be made? It's not like I can get rid of this thing anytime I want. I'm stuck with it, just like Elias was all those years ago. Magic didn't work on it and it won't work for me either. Maybe I should just take a silver bullet and be done with it"

"A silver bullet?"

"In the 10th Kingdom legends, it's usually the only way to kill a werewolf" Virginia answered, but Wolf sat up in the bed, as horrified as she had known he would be.

"Oh no Virginia! Don't ever think to do such a thing, I beg you!"

"No, not me, Wolf. But, I am going to get one made, and a crossbow or a pistol to fire it, and, if the worst happens and my dream comes true, _you_ will use it"

"Oh Virginia, no, I couldn't..."

"You _will! _You won't ever let me hurt Caelum, nor you" she said firmly, seeing the devastation on Wolf's face at the thought of doing such a thing. In truth, she doubted if he ever would pull the trigger but she had to have the option in place for them. She watched as Wolf's expression changed from sadness to a grim determination.

"Well then beloved, we really must find another cure, and soon! Surely, there must be one somewhere. Nothing is ever done without there being a way to undo it, excepting death of course. We just have to find the right way, and not ever give up!" Wolf spoke with conviction and Virginia almost smiled to see him so confident. Well, if one of them knew all about following an elusive trail, it was Wolf. Once he set his mind to something, he was not likely to let it go easily. But for Virginia, trying to see a way out of her predicament was similar to staring at four brick walls, like the prisoner in her body she was.

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It didn't hurt so much if he stood upright, Elias realised after a few miles. Except for the fact that standing up meant that one had to face the world as a man. Crawling on all fours suited him much better at the moment, he thought bitterly. Yes, on hands and knees, like the cur he felt himself to be. But he was drawing close to the place, he guessed. The ground had become muddy, damp under his hands and it stank of the typical rottenness of swamps. Elias didn't know who the woman was, nor why she had summoned him here. Only that she had appeared. She had been a beautiful vision, certainly, and she had looked upon him with understanding, not pity. Well, since nature had deemed him to live a little longer, despite his infectious wounds, he could at least seek her out and find out what she wanted. She had left something of a tiny spark in his mind which he had been following like a hound on the trail.

Elias skirted a large slime filled bog hole. At least the ground was softer for crawling on, the sun cooler on his back. A nice dark spot to curl up and die in, this place, he thought idly. He wondered again about the girl, Virginia. She had been floating in and out of his thoughts for days, depending on his level of lucidity. She had stood brightly in his mind today. She would have figured it out by now, he guessed. She would know what she was, definately. A newborn monster, a thing out of fairy tales. She should certainly fit in in this cursed land then, he thought, almost laughing. He should really go to her, he knew. Poor girl, all alone with her new powers. Although Wolf would have guessed by now too, of course. Elias wondered what Wolf thought of his new mate. Did he find himself attracted to the new Virginia, or did she repulse him now? Either way, she was still alone. Did she call out for him? He really should go to her. They were bonded now, the two of them together against the world. Elias felt a faint nudge from the lady in his mind. Patience, she seemed to say to him. _She will come to you in time_. Yes, of course she would.

After a time, the eerie green gloom of the swamp began to intensify. Elias passed by a small hill covered in singing mushrooms without a backwards glance. The compulsion to reach the lady grew strong and kept his feet to the right paths. Eventually, a small, moss covered hut appeared. The trail led here, it seemed, but Elias was momentarily disappointed in the tiny humpy. Surely such a great lady deserved a palace, no less. He went to the door, pushing at it till he was able to crawl inside. The interior was dry, at least, but there were few signs of inhabitants. But someone had made an effort to clean up a little recently, he could see. In the corner was an open trapdoor of sorts with great iron gates swung back against the wall. _Down here_. Yes, I am coming, he thought, inching down the stairs. At the bottom he saw that he had come to a large burial vault of some kind. The floor was damp and mushy, the air thick with moisture. In the centre of the floor was the open sarcophagus, and encased within it, a long dark form. _Yes, this is how I live my life. _The lady's voice spoke loudly in his mind. She sounded both sad and exalted at the same time.

"You live?" he asked, kneeling down at the side of the stone coffin.

_"Oh yes, I live. I watch, I think, I plan all things. Do not be deceived, man"_

"My name is Elias, lady. Why is it you have called me here?"

_"Elias, I am Hera. I have summoned you because I wish to help you"_

"No one can help me"

_"I disagree. But, all in good time. Firstly, your body, it is sickened with infection. I have sent out my minion to fetch those things that will help you heal. Then once that is done, we will discuss what can be done for your soul. Fear not, Elias. I am Hera, as I have said. I have lain a long time in darkness, and I have learned a great many things"_

"There will be a price for all this, won't there?"

_"But of course! One must keep the equillibrium, after all. Ahh, now, my servant returns even now. Allow him to minister to you, Elias, without fear. He is totally under my control. I think you'll like him, he's from your own Kingdom, after all" _Hera finished, and Elias sensed her withdrawing slightly. He suspected that she conversed now with her 'servant' in the way she had just done with him. He wondered if the blackened, half rotted body in the crypt could move at all. He continued to kneel on the floor of the vault, doubting his own will in coming here when he heard the footsteps coming down the stairs from above. A 10th Kingdom servant, Hera had said. The man came down, bearing a tray on which lay several types of plants and other odd looking life forms. It took many seconds before Elias could focus on the face that floated over him. The red hair, that pale skin, that gashed and ravaged face. The one eye glittered with madness and he walked with an odd shuffling gait, as though pulled by strings. The man giggled ludicrously for a second as Elias felt the darkness close around him finally. He sighed and gave himself up to it, whispering to no one in particular.

"Connor"


	3. Chapter 3

Circle Of Sisters

3. Setting Up The Board

It was a morning of revelations at the small cottage of Wolf and Virginia. After she had settled somewhat from the terror of her dream, Virginia had finally gone in to Caelum, picking out his little eyes gleaming in the pre-dawn darkness. He had seemed relieved to see her, at least, pressing himself against her as she held him close. Virginia had feared he would withdraw from her, frightened by the beast that lurked within his mother. It made her all the more determined that her son would never look at her that way, but her head had begun to ache with the effort of trying to see a way out of her predicament. Yet, she believed Wolf when he said that there was always a way out of every situation, magical or otherwise. Virginia shuddered at the thought of trusting magic once more, but then, was it the magic itself at fault or simply the user? Perhaps they had just asked the wrong questions or cast the wrong incantations. Virginia resolved to track down the witch Griselda. Not to rebuke her, no, but to learn from her mistakes. Wendell had said that she had vanished from the immediate surrounds though. Maybe she ddin't even know what had happened. Virginia just wished she knew more about the origins of werewolves, like how the first one had been made. Virginia hoped that Elias could provide some insight, some clue.

Virginia and Caelum had returned to the main bedroom, Wolf's arms enfolding them both under the blankets. Virginia felt tired once more, but Wolf was quite wide awake still and she guessed he would probably not sleep again this night. When she had next opened her eyes, sunlight was streaming into the room. Wolf stood at the basin in the corner, shaving his ever growing beard, Caelum sitting on the dresser watching with fascinated interest. It was such a picture perfect scene she could almost imagine that the werewolf had never come into their lives. She watched as Wolf finished his ablutions, going to his bulging wardrobe to pick out fresh clothes for both of them. She knew he was taking his time with it specifically for her benefit, knowing well how much she loved to stare at him unclothed. He had a strong, muscular body and the morning light glinted off the tips of the long guard hairs on his back and tail. Virginia almost wished for a moment that Caelum was still asleep in his crib. Her son noticed her awake just then and clapped his pudgy hands together.

"Ma ma. Dadda" he squeaked in his human voice, before reaching around to fish in the back of his pyjamas. "Tail!" he said importantly, holding the fuzzy little thing as high as it would go. Virginia laughed out loud, clapping in her turn as Wolf patted his boy on the head fondly.

"Yes, you're a very clever boy, Caelum, the best ever!" she praised him. She saw his nose twitching in appreciation and soon caught the scent of bacon herself coming from the kitchen downstairs. Well, no special talent was needed to know the smell of breakfast at any rate, she thought, as Wolf scooped him down from the dresser. Caelum was off down the stairs within seconds, and Virginia heard Elsie call a morning greeting to him. No doubt he was practically crawling up her trouser leg to reach the frying pan. Wolf did an artistic twirl, brushing down his always stylish clothes. He had chosen a practical get up this morning, she saw, tall boots and thick cotton jacket, perfect for tramping around the forest in. He came to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I think it's time I tracked down Elias again love. It shouldn't be too hard, humans are easy to follow, regardless of their wood skills or knowledge. And he was injured. Maybe I should take some food or medicines with me? I don't know" he said, a little bit rushed. Virginia could see plainly that he was uneasy about finding Elias and just as uneasy about not finding him.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, no, I'll take Willem with me. I know you've healed quicker than you normally would do, but you're still not a hundred percent, you know? I'd feel better if you were still here. Besides, we may have to stay overnight somewhere. It depends on how far he's wandered" Wolf replied. Virginia knew he was trying not to be too chauvenistic about it, but she still fought down the momentary irritation. It was her problem, she should be the one out searching for a solution, for her wounded creator. But she would slow down Wolf, that much was true. Yes, better to let him take this first step. Besides, she had to admit to herself, the cottage and it's quiet surrounds had become like a haven for her, a place of safety in the dangerous world. She wondered if she'd ever have the courage to leave it. She sighed her assent to Wolf and he caressed her cheek gently.

"Also, I think we need to confide in others, Virginia. Willem and Elsie, well, they have guessed much already. We owe them trust with the truth. They might even have some ideas, who knows? Wendell and Tony, I don't know about them, though"

"No, not them just yet. Especially Dad. He's only just recovered from seeing me nearly die in front of him. Wendell too. It was a miracle that we persuaded them to go home to the palace, and that was only yesterday. But, I have a horrible feeling that there will be no hiding it eventually. Everyone will know, Wolf" Virginia answered, feeling a rising panic once more. And yet, under that, there was that strange calm she had felt all along, as if someone whispered in her ear. _Peace, girl, all will be well_. Yes. But from whom came those words? Was it the insidious disease itself, or had someone else reached across the void to place them in her mind? Was it Snow White? Virginia didn't think so. Snow had left her to her own destiny. It was not an abandonment, Virginia knew. It was simply that Virginia had been tested and found worthy. Was this another test, then, and why? She felt angered momentarily at the interference in her nice ordered life. She couldn't remember ever asking for such things to happen to her. Still, if it was indeed yet another trial, then that in itself gave her a glimmer of hope. After all, there could be no test without a solution.

Later downstairs, after Elsie had dished up get another huge breakfast (and it was beginning to make Virginia feel as though she had been underfeeding Wolf, so huge were the helpings that the she-wolf served), she and Wolf began to fill in Willem and Elsie with the details of what had happened to Virginia that night. The half-wolf's were surprised, but nodded to themselves often as the changes they had obviously noticed in Virginia suddenly made sense to them.

"Well, I never! I've lived many years and I thought I'd seen everything. But I've never seen nor heard of anything remotely like what's happened to you, Virginia. But, is it all that bad, do you think? I mean, we would be able to restrain you, you wouldn't hurt anyone, and think of the benefits, the opportunities you might have now" Elsie said matter of factly. Virginia wasn't surprised by her reaction, nor her questions. They were much the same that had been going through her mind anyway.

"No, Elsie. I have thought long and hard about it, really, but deep down, I know that this is not what I'm meant to be. It's true that it's tempting to keep what I've gained in just these few days, but for me, the price will be too great. And I fear, no, in fact, I know, that one day I will do great harm. No, I'm just a woman, a human woman, born that way, bound to live my life that way. This thing, it's not me, I know it"

"Not just any woman" said Elsie, rising from the table to clear the dishes. She looked deep into Virginia's eyes for a moment but refused to elaborate further.

"What will you do now?" Willem asked. Virginia smiled at her mate's brother. Willem had insisted that she call him 'brother' as well, and to treat him as one. They were all pack now, he had said, and Virginia could rely on him as much as Wolf. She liked Willem a lot and was glad that he and Wolf seemed to be forging a new relationship. But he was quite different from Wolf, in both appearance and manner. Willem was much slighter of build, with fairer hair and skin, deep russet coloured eyes with many laugh lines around his mouth. He'd told her he was a storyteller, a lone wolf travelling from place to place, earning his keep by both entertaining and educating wolf clans. And gypsies too, he said, as well as dwarves, elves and more tolerant human packs. He seemed well travelled, and he had been in the far northern Kingdoms when the first news of the Four Who Saved The Nine Kingdoms had filtered through. But he had never assumed that the wolfen hero of the tale had been his own estranged brother. Only months later had he learned the hero's pack name as it had travelled through the wolfen community and known who it was. Virginia wondered just what had prompted him to seek out Wolf once more, but she was glad that he had, regardless.

"Wolf will go to find Elias, firstly. What help he will be, I don't know, but he is the most obvious starting point. We need to know what went wrong with the spell, so I'm thinking we will need to find Griselda again also. It's a lot to do, and we don't have that much time either"

"When will, this, change, happen to you, Virginia?"

"I don't know Willem. It could be three weeks away, at the next new moon, or it could be less than two if I follow the more traditional werewolf cycle" Virginia put her head in her hands. The lunar cycle ruled her life now, and it's Goddess. Virginia didn't know if she truly believed in the Moon Goddess as an entity. Gods and Goddesses had never really been a part of her life before now. She knew that wolfen people had no doubts at all, in fact Wolf had hinted to her that he had met the Goddess personally once (and then there was that strange apparition she had seen in the forest in upstate New York), but Virginia was still unsure. Being a practical 20th century girl, she supposed she would believe it when she saw it. She pinched her upper arm in her own superstitous way of warding off the very thought of having to see such things. The world just kept getting wider and wider from Virginia's perspective, and it amazed her that her ordered modern mind had coped with all she had seen and done in the past year and a half. She wondered for a moment how Natalie, the brave young doctor that Wolf had 'stolen' from New York a week ago was faring. Had she returned to New York a gabbling madwoman, or simply a smart young woman with a secret smile? Virginia knew that the priest called Frederick, who had helped Wolf that night was still in the 4th Kingdom, staying at Wendell's palace, and quite the novelty apparently. Virginia raised her head again to find Wolf and Willem staring at her with concern at her long silence. Wolf came around behind her chair to kiss the back of her neck, his favourite place.

"Hmm, cheer up love. Trust your wolfie to save you, you should! Well, at least he can make a start, right now in fact! Willem, will you come with me? We go to hunt our poor Elias" Wolf murmured. Virginia saw Willem straighten a little, obviously pleased that Wolf had asked for his help. Willem came forward then and rather daringly lifted Virginia's hand to his lips, kissing it in a gentlemanly fashion, but Virginia smiled to see that he had half an eye on his brother the whole time. Wolf snorted in amusement and scooped her right out of the chair, carrying her out the front door. They stood on the ill fated doorstep and kissed, before Wolf untangled them, bowing his way out the gate. Virginia lifted up Caelum to prevent him from following them and together they watched as the two half-wolf brothers disappeared over the fields towards the forest.

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Connor was an inexpert nurse, but he got the job done in the end, realised Elias. But then, Elias was beginning to doubt that the young former priest was there at all. His eyes which were once shifty and darting were now vacant and staring into space, when they weren't ogling the undead corpse that lay in the crypt. He had shown no sign of recognizing Elias, not even when he had heard his name spoken. Elias had cringed for a moment, expecting the man to attack him, verbally or physically, and in truth, Elias probably would have let him. He knew the part he had played in the boy's downfall. And yet he had no desire at all to step up and try and shake some sense back into the man. The quiet darkness of the crypt suited him just fine at the moment. He could have described his mood as equally dank and depressing. He heard the rustling of Connor's footsteps as he came back down the stairs from the cottage above. He watched, partially fascinated, as he could almost see the invisible directions Hera was giving the man. Step here. Pick this up. Mix these together. Elias wondered vaguely if it was a tiresome thing, to have to think out every step on behalf of a human automaton like Connor.

_"Tiresome, yes, but it's effort well spent" _whispered Hera in his mind. Elias found his hands massaging his temples unconciously as the words wound through his thoughts. It was not a painful thing, not at all, but a part of him rebelled against the unnaturalness of it. Could Hera control him as easily as she did Connor?

_"You? No, of course not. As long as you have your own will, then none can command you otherwise. This boy, his mind has long been fractured. It was easy to coax him through the Travelling Mirror. That fool wolf left him there after all. And I, whose body can no longer function in this world, well, can you blame me for taking advantage? The boy doesn't know any different. In fact, living in this Kingdom, where I can protect him, is in many ways better than being cast adrift in his own madness, don't you think?"_

"Yes, I suppose"

_"Suppose nothing! You know it is the best option. And for me, I gain eyes, tongue and legs to once more affect the world, as is the right of all thinking creatures"_

"You want to affect the world? Why, and why now? Surely in the natural order of things, your time has been and gone, Hera". Elias watched out of the corner of his eye as the rotting figure clenched it's fists. Small bits of dried flesh crumbled from the bones at the effort. He fought down the nausea in his stomach as the very air crackled with tension. He did not fear Hera, but he respected her strength of will. The corpse relaxed minutely. He almost felt her sigh as it whistled through the room.

_"Affect. Change. Influence. Why? Because I can, and I will it. Yet you, of all people, need to ask me this? Did not you reach out and take that which was given you with open arms? Even as you knew it corrupted your soul, brought pain to those you loved, did you not embrace it? Of course you did. You have the same drive as all men and women, to stand above, to conquer, to carve out your world as you think it should be. No one blames you for this. I do not. I understand you, Elias. Our stories are not that different, you know"_

"Maybe they are, maybe not. But there is one major point that you've overlooked. I did embrace it, yes, but I never asked for it that night. It was given to me, but I would have refused it if I could. And now, I have given it to another in exactly the same way"

_"Ah yes, the sweet Virginia. The newest heroine of the Nine Kingdoms, no less. Heh, imagine the scandal this will cause when the facts leak out! But, for all that, she is a strong one, this girl, though she can hardly be called a girl anymore_"

"You speak like you know her"

_"Of course I know her! Did you learn nothing of the history between us?" _Hera muttered in Elias' mind. He cast his mind back to the puppet play he had seen a few weeks ago on the lawns of Wendell's palace. The realisation of just where he was and who he was talking to struck him suddenly, and strongly. Hera chuckled quietly in the gloom.

_"So, here we are. Am I what you expected, then?"_

"I had no expectations. And yet, you speak of Virginia with almost an air of respect. This surprises me, Hera"

_"But of course I respect her. She defeated me, and my Christine. How could I feel otherwise? Like her? Not really. Agree with her? Never. Do I consider her my adversary? Certainly"_

"You tried to destroy her"

_"She came to me as the Virgin in the Great Testing. I played my role, nothing more. If not me, then another. I worked through Christine to thwart the girl, but she rose up to best us both. And yet, for all that, she remained unncorrupted. She has power in her, yet she refused to use it and still does"_

"You make it sound like you were doing her a service"

_"One day, she will realise this, yes"_

"I don't understand"

_"Of course you don't. You haven't been chosen to receive greatness, Elias, not like our precious Virginia. But such things aren't just given away to anyone, you know. One must be found worthy, one must grow and gain wisdom. You get none of these things simply sitting around your pretty little cottage"_

"Doesn't Virginia get a say in all this?"

_"She has already accepted the challenge. The day she stepped through that Mirror, she became a player in the Great Game. And yes, she knew no more than you did when your path was so altered, nor I"_

"Is it all just a gigantic game then? Are we all only someone's playing pieces? What and when is the end?"

_"Well, that depends on who wins, of course. But right now, we have more important things to concentrate on"_

"Like what, Hera?"

_"On whose turn it is"_


	4. Chapter 4

Circle Of Sisters

4. _Tracking_

It was only after a few hours of tramping through the disenchanted forest that Wolf realised just how glad he was to be out of the house. He disliked the very thought of wishing to be away from his Virginia, but at the same time he could not deny the truth of it. In the dappled half light of the forest he was tempted to allow himself the luxury of forgetting all about the past week. But he was only half a wolf. His all too human mind refused to stop thinking, worrying, planning. Still, something about the cool green wilderness was calming to him. All too easy just to think one paw at a time in here. Step here. Stop, sniff here. Circle here. Avoid this tree. Was that the scent of rabbit? All these things, his wolf mind took care of without his even having to be aware of them, in fact it was better that way for all half-wolf's._ Let the wolf out_. He had a sudden memory of his father then, the small boy he had been sitting rapt on the ground as his father went through some of the basic mental exercises taught to all young half-wolf's.

_"Lucian, are you paying attention?" his father asked, the ever patient voice cutting through the cub's wandering nose._

_"Yes, papa"_

_"What was I saying then?"_

_"You were telling me how to recognize my wolf and my human selfs. You said how important it is to give equal time to both or else one might get mad and make trouble for the other. But what happens when they fight, papa?"_

_"Well, you either become a very dangerous human, erratic and violent, or you might become a very passive wolf, stumbling, senseless, a danger to yourself and your pack"_

_"It doesn't sound good either way"_

_"No, but it doesn't happen very often, young cub. And you have many years before you first feel the Goddess in your blood. Plenty of time to practice and forge a bond between your wolf and man selfs. You will learn just how and when to let the wolf out"_

He had learnt those things, Wolf knew, even though his teacher had been taken away from him so early, and so cruelly. He was a good half-wolf, cunning, resourceful, intelligent and loving. He would find a way forward from this mess, he told himself firmly. He had found himself agreeing with Virginia this morning. It wasn't meant for her, this afflicition of the werewolf. She had seemed so sure of it, so he found that he also had to believe it. And yet, it warred with his own ideas about fate. Nothing happened without a reason, and what would be the point of making someone a werewolf if they never experienced it? If by some miracle, he and Virginia did find a cure for her some time in the next few weeks, what would have been the reason for the whole episode? Surely she was meant to learn something from all this. If they turned aside the curse, what then would happen to her? Wolf knew that certain things usually kept occurring in a person's life until they figured out the lesson to be gained. And the more often a person turned away from learning, the more disrupting the events would become. Did this mean that Virginia hadn't gained what they had hoped for her when they had drawn her into this world? And just who were _they_ anyway?

It was all too much for Wolf. He stopped abruptly and slumped down to lay his cheek against the damp earth. A semi-sentient frond of creeping ivy poked it's trailing tendrils up through the soil to investigate if anything worth eating had happened upon it's patch. Wolf opened one eye to growl at the leafy thing.

"Don't even think about it" he snarled at it, feeling a growing sense of exasperation. Life was just a big competition in the forest, and in the Kingdoms at large. Eat or be eaten. No one just lived out their lives in peace and happiness, untroubled by fate or chance. Wolf wondered if other inhabitants of the Kingdoms ever just lay down as he was now to curse the uneven path of life they were on. He smiled bitterly in the gloom. Most of them had, probably. He was foolish to think he was the only one with problems to solve. He heard the quiet tread of boots coming towards him. Willem, following along in wolf fashion, a little behind and off to one side. He heard his brother as he paused in the undergrowth, sensing that the leader of their little pack had stopped. Willem changed direction slightly to intercept the new location. The bushes parted silently as he came upon Wolf still lying on the ground.

"Having a moment?" Willem asked, and Wolf heard the quiet humour in his voice.

"Of sorts. I've been thinking too much again"

"Ah ha. Bad wolfie habit, that one. Come on then. We won't find your friend laying about" Willem replied, reaching down to yank his younger brother to his feet. Willem brushed absently at the grass and leaves clinging to Wolf's coat.

"Lets go Lucian. Now remember, don't just think, _become_"

"You've been talking to Virginia. She's always saying stuff like that" Wolf huffed. But she was right, of course. He sighed and stretched the muscles of his back, feeling them crack with restrained tension. Willem had already moved off but Wolf caught up with him again, taking back the lead with the unconcious consent of Willem to his status as the alpha. Presently, as the morning moved towards midday, they drew near the boundary of the fullblood wolf pack. There were none nearby that the brother's could sense, so they left their marks on a tree and crossed into the fullblood's territory. Wolf led them almost directly to the place where he had last seen Elias. The small grove was deserted and no scent fresher than a few days lay over it. So, he had not returned, Wolf thought unhappily. He cast about in the direction he had last seen the man go. The trail was faint, but still detectable to the two half-wolf's. Wolf saw Willem's nostrils flaring as he learned the scent they were to follow.

"Hmm, I don't like the smell of that wound. How long's it been now, six days? He'll be riddled with infection if he still lives, Lucian"

"Should make him easy to find then"

"Yes, well, you're right, of course. Well, lets be off then. Unless you want to..."

"What?"

"Have lunch?"

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Elias watched out of the corner of his eye as the black bird perched uneasily on the decaying foot of the corpse. It fluffed it's feathers out, making little motes of dust circle in the damp air of the tomb. Elias frowned slightly to himself. He really should stop thinking of this place as a tomb. Tombs contained the dead, and neither he nor the witch Hera could be called by that name just yet. He felt of the wound in his back, knowing it to healing finally, the ragged edges closing together and clean new skin growing over them. His head felt clearer, his body not racked with the fever as it had been. Well, at least Hera had kept to her word on that account. Whatever the herbal concoction she had instructed Connor to prepare and apply had saved him from immediate death at least. Yet it seemed strange to Elias that he still craved life, even after all he had done to warrant it's deserting him. Must be a human thing, to want to cling to life like that. Just to lay down and die in the woods, alone and unnamed, well, that was an animal trait. Elias was no unthinking beast, no, of course not, he reasoned within his mind. But, he had the beast inside him, and that beast had done terrible things.

_"We all have the terror within us. All are capable of it" _Hera spoke in his mind. Her voice was soothing to Elias and he found himself nodding in unconcious agreement. It was all too true. His own brother, the good and loving priest that he had been to his own flock, had he not committed great injustice and cruelty to Wolf? Ignorance could not be used as an excuse for torture. And yet both Peter and his apprentice Connor had paid the price, so to speak, with death and madness consuming them. Elias shifted position uncomfortably on the makeshift pallet that the mad priest had set up for him on Hera's request. So, if divine justice existed and was meted out for Peter, why not Elias? Who had done the worst crimes?

_"Do not compare yourself, Elias. It's a waste of time to try and measure this crime against that, because none of us know what the yardstick for comparison is. Do you really think we stand side by side with others at the end of our lives? No, we stand alone, and our misdeeds are known only to ourselves"_

"Misdeed is hardly the word I will choose when I finally stand before God"

_"Maybe, maybe not. I think in time you will come to realise that you are in essence an innocent here. You do not choose to do what you do. All your efforts to free yourself have come to nought, but surely you realise that they will count for something?"_

"You use arguements that I have counselled myself with over many years, Hera"

_"And yet you still mourn. Perhaps when your new kin comes to you, seeking those very same answers, you may find them together"_

"My kin?"

_"Well yes, your sweet Virginia. She is one of you now, is she not? Made by you, and, dare I suggest it, made for you. Daughter, sister, lover, who can tell? But you and she are bonded now and neither of you can deny it. Even now she seeks you out. She has sent her Hero to find you and he draws near this place as we speak. What will you do Elias? Will you allow them to dictate the terms to you? Do not forget your own place in this matter. Do not allow them to ride roughshod over your destiny again, Elias" _Hera spoke softly, coaxingly and once more Elias found himself agreeing with her thoughts. He shivered at the idea of Wolf so close, tracking him down. He pictured the large, dominant figure in his mind. It was true, Wolf would seek to use Elias to cure his beloved mate, would likely beat and claw every last ounce of information out of him. The fact that Elias _had_ no information would not deter the half-wolf, he guessed.

"What should I do, Hera?". The air in the room seemed to stir as the corpse twitched. The black bird, disturbed, took to flight, disappearing up the stairs.

_"I can help you, I think. We need to take the half-wolf out of the equation. He will never let you go again and he will forever stand between you and Virginia"_

"I won't kill him, or have him killed, Hera. He is, was, my brother"

_"Of course, of course. There is no need to kill him. We only need to keep him restrained for a while, until you and your Virginia have had a time to speak, plan what you will do. I have in this tomb a special mirror that will do that very thing, and he'll be quite unharmed, I assure you" _Hera said. Elias watched as one of the bony corpse fingers lifted itself to point into one of the dark corners. Elias looked there to see a half buried old mirror, covered in green slime with faint cracks running over it's surface. He frowned at the thing. He didn't understand how any magic mirrors worked, much less broken ones. But Hera was right. Wolf was coming for him and Wolf would keep him away from Virginia. Virginia who needed Elias to show her the way of things. And, Elias realised, he needed her too. He felt a sudden strong compulsion to be with her, speak with her, touch her. He sighed loudly and almost felt Hera's pleasure at his decision. It made him wonder momentarily at Hera's own agenda in all this.

_"Don't worry over much about what I want, Elias. Know only that for now, we both seek the same thing. Now, your intrepid wolf friend _

_has camped down on the edge of the swamp for the night. At first light, he and another will come here for you. We must be ready for _

_them. Come here closer and I will tell you of the magic of this particular mirror of mine"_

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"I don't like this place much, Lucian. It stinks" Willem muttered under his breath. The two brothers were fixing themselves a hasty breakfast of one rabbit apiece. Wolf tossed the remains over his shoulder, finding himself agreeing with Willem's appraisal of the swamp edge they had camped on overnight. If only his older brother would stop telling him all about it. They had spent most of the last day scouting for the faint trail of Elias as it meandered back and forth across the disenchanted forest. For a while it seemed that there was no set pattern to the werewolf's wanderings and Wolf had imagined him to be in a fever induced stupor, blundering through the trees. Eventually they had come upon a spot where Elias had stopped for quite a while. By the scent and tracks they judged it to be less than three days ago, but the trail that led away from the grove was different. It was direct, straight as an arrow now and it pointed out from the forest's edge, over the farmlands and fields towards the ill omened swampland. Both Wolf and Willem had an instinctive dislike of having to leave the safety of cover in the forest and cross the exposed fields, but Wolf had vowed to follow the trail till it's end. They had waited until dusk, and Wolf had sent one of the Magic Birds back to the cottage with a message for Virginia, letting her know that he and Willem would be spending the night on the trail. Wolf had watched the little bird vanish swiftly into the evening with trepidation. His urge to be with Virginia, to watch over and protect her and their cub was almost overwhelming. After they had crossed the open spaces, deftly avoiding guard dogs and watchful farmers, he had spent a great part of the night pacing back and forth unhappily at the spot where they had chosen to bed down. By morning he had worn a patch of the straggly grass right down to the bare earth, despite Willem's pleas to leave off and get some rest.

"Will you cease that damned pacing! You're giving me a headache! She's just fine, I tell you. Elsie is there, the Forest is close, and your mate is not without resources of her own, you know!"

"Don't tell me what to do. Things are easy for you to say. You are unmated. You haven't seen your mate lying close to death, knowing that it was your doing. I wasn't there for her and I can barely stand to be away from her now" Wolf had spat angrily at his brother but had immediately regretted it, seeing plain on Willems' face the hurt of his words.

"Then go back now. I can find and retreive your friend easily enough"

"No, no. It's something I have to do. He wouldn't come with you anyway. I'm sorry Willem. I'm not handling all this very well and I shouldn't take it out on you. Huff puff! We haven't had much of a reunion have we?"

"To tell you the truth, it's gone much better than I thought it would! I had imagined the worst, that you would drive me away. And here we are, not under the best of situations of course, but we're_ together_. Mother and Papa would be happy at least, don't you think?" Willem replied, yawning and scratching out a rough nest of leaves and dry grass. Wolf stared thoughtfully at his brother, allowing himself to see the honest wisdom of the words. He felt a deep surge of emotion, a sense of brotherhood he'd long since thought dead in his life. And it was true, they were getting on much better than Wolf had ever imagined, despite the fact that Wolf knew very well that he was behaving quite unreasonably. He forced himself to quit pacing and settled down nearby, half closing his eyes against the crescent moon as She travelled across the sky. Virginia answered to the Moon Goddess now, he realised. But he smiled in the darkness. The Goddess would not find Virginia to be a very tractable moon-child, not at all.

Now, thin sunlight filtered through the mist as the brothers finished their early caught breakfast. Wolf tossed the spindly rabbit bones into a nearby pond, watching as they disappeared beneath the floating muck that covered the surface of the water. That same scum seemed to cover just about every other surface as well. The whole place was a dripping, gooey bog. Wolf had been through the swamp once before, more than a year ago when in search of his darling Virginia. He'd found her just in time too, only minutes away from being completely bound into the earth by the creeping vines. He remembered just how happy she had been to see him. She had thrown herself into his arms, the very first time he had held her close and he had breathed in her delectable scent, knowing then and there that there was no way he would ever leave her side again. Just minutes later, she had told him that she loved him and only a few hours after that she had been in his arms once more, only this time in the complete, loving way that they both wanted. Wolf felt his cheeks flaming at the thought of that long ago afternoon. He wanted to visit that ferny glade again with Virginia, right now. Willem coughed politely to get his attention, and Wolf shook himself back to the present, firmly pushing all thoughts of lovemating out of his mind. But he did make a mental note about it, adding it to his list of things to do when all the current mess was sorted out. He stepped out confidently and within minutes both half-wolfs were floundering around in the mucky ground of the swamp.

The trail led directly to a small humpy-like hut. Wolf peered at it from a safe distance, almost certain that this was the same place that Virginia had described to him. The wretched old Swamp Witch, Snow White's wicked stepmother no less, lay rotting in the basement of this decrepit house, Virginia had told him. This was where she had gotten the deadly poisonous comb from, the one Wolf had carefully lifted from her coat to give to the Queen when it became apparent that they would be captured and he'd had to hastily appear to switch sides. It had been a dangerous moment, that one, he recalled. The Queen might have chosen not to believe his explanations. Wolf wondered what would have become of them all had she decided to call his bluff. Likely they'd all be dead, plus most of the nobility of the 9 Kingdoms as well and the world would be a much darker place under her rule. It gave Wolf a moment of confidence to think about these things. Surely he was fated to do only good deeds for the 9 Kingdoms, and what could be a greater task than to return the next Great Woman of History to her rightful form? Wolf shuddered suddenly and crouched down in confusion. Cripes, where had that thought come from? Great Women of History? Willem reached over to shake his shoulder.

"Wolf? Are you alright?" he whispered.

"Oh, um, yes, I think so" Wolf replied, scratching at his temple in agitation. Willem looked at him somewhat dubiously as he blew out his cheeks, straightening once more, pushing the ever wayward locks of hair out of his eyes. Time to act and stop thinking too much. He stepped away from their cover in the trees, approaching the hut quite openly. He walked right up to the door, snuffing in some alarm as he scented the all too familiar Connor. Huff puff, how had that boy gotten here? Then he remembered leaving the mad priest on the ground in Central Park, right in front of the open mirror. He cursed his own stupidity for a moment. All too easy for the man to come slinking through the portal, probably getting out of the castle in the confusion of Wendell turning out the guards and raising the alarm. Why would he come here though? Wolf pushed open the door a crack, listening hard for the telltale sounds of breath, heartbeat. Satisfied that the top room was empty at least, he shoved the creaking door back and stooped to enter, hearing Willem come in close behind. Wolf surveyed the room, seeing the signs of the hurried departure of a dwarf, Acorn, whom he had known from his days in the Snow White Prison. Someone had made a fire in the grate recently, and strewn across the table were various types of herbs wilting in the humid air. Wolf picked up one of the plants and knew it to be commonly used for wound infections. He tossed the herb away. None of this made any sense. He saw Willem moving away slightly, towards an opening in the floor of the hut. Strong iron gates had been pushed aside and cool damp air, heavy with the scent of Elias wafted up from whatever was down there. Willem raised his eyebrows in a silent query. Wolf sighed and took up a length of candle, lighting it from the grimy lantern in the corner. He went to the doorway, seeing a long staircase descending into the earth. Wolf was not by nature very easily frightened, but he knew that evil power lay below. They would have to be very wary. Not wanting to appear too hesitant, he led the way down into the darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

Circle Of Sisters

5. The Bait

Virginia paced back and forth in the lounge room of the cottage. Glancing once more out the front windows, she saw that the afternoon was wearing on. Long slanted shadows were moving across the garden. She sighed deeply and went to the open front door, peering out over the fields in the direction of the forest. There was as little movement as there had been half an hour ago. No familiar figures of Wolf or Willem, and no darting flash of colour that signalled an approaching magic bird. One of the helpful little creatures had arrived on the kitchen windowsill on the previous evening, tapping it's beak loudly on the thick glass.

"Miss Virginia, Miss Virginia!" it had piped at her when she opened the window. The bird had hopped onto her finger in a friendly fashion which had pleased Virginia greatly. She had been fearing that the magical creatures would be repulsed by her now. She smiled at the bird to reassure it.

"You have a message for me?"

"Oh yes, Miss Virginia. The Warden, I mean, your mate, he sends his love to you, but is sad to say that he will be staying overnight on the trail"

"I see. Well, thank you, friend, for letting me know"

"You're welcome, Miss Virginia"

"Before you go, do you know where he was when he gave the message?"

"Why yes, he was bedding down on the edge of the Deadly Swamp. That's where the monster has gone, I heard him say to his companion". Virginia frowned in sudden concern that he had had to go anywhere near that place. And why had Elias gone in there? Virginia felt a faint chill run through her.

"Don't worry Miss. He's a resourceful mate, this one you have. He's been in there before after all. But I really must go back to my nest before it gets too dark. Farewell, Miss Virginia!" the bird piped. Virginia smiled and thanked the feathered messenger as it took to the air. She had closed the window thoughtfully. The bird was right in that Wolf could take care of himself quite adequately in terms of the natural world and the peculiar life forms in the swamp. Much better than she could anyway. Virginia and her father hadn't lasted more than an hour in that foetid bog. Wolf wouldn't fall for any of the tricksy things that dwelt in the swamp, unless it involved a more intelligent mind than creeping ivy. Virginia felt a light brushing against her mind, the faintest sense of impending doom. She shivered and turned to light the lamps, greeting Elsie as she came in with a dead chicken in one hand and Caelum dangling from the other.

"Well, since he caught it all by himself, I guess we may as well eat it" Elsie huffed, but Virginia could tell that the half wolf woman was secretly pleased with the cub's killing spree. Virginia supposed that in wolf families such things were celebrated in much the same way as when human youngsters first managed to stay on their bicycles without falling off. She took her bloodstained son into her arms, mussing his dark curls, but he was watching Elsie avidly as she plucked and prepared 'his' kill. Virginia laughed at his concentration, deciding to let him get away with it this time at least. Her poor little boy had been having a rough couple of weeks. Having survived the mad dash through the forest and being unceremoniously dumped through the window by his mother, he'd had to listen to her being attacked by the werewolf. He'd probably smelt her blood as it gushed out of the wounds and seeped under the door. Then he'd been all but forgotten, overlooked in the panic to save his mother's life. Virginia wondered how much of it he would remember in the years to come. Did the Kingdoms have child psychologists? They'd be much in demand if they existed here, she guessed, given how many nasty things happened to children in this fairy tale world.

Virginia had slept uneasily that night. The bed was just too big and empty for her to be able to relax in it. She was sorely tempted to creep out and somehow make her way to Wolf, but she knew it was too far for her to make it before dawn. And he'd be angry with her too, though he might not show it. But Virginia had a horrible feeling about just where Elias had gone, and now, as dusk settled on the second day since Wolf had left, that feeling intensified triplefold. Why hadn't he sent a message back, or come himself? Surely he would know how much she would worry about him. She took a few steps away from the doorstep, letting her feet lead her away towards the line of trees that made up the boundary between her humble ordered farmlet and the wild of the forest. She passed underneath the first branches, automatically looking up, scanning the foliage for any magic bird friends. There were none that she could see or hear, even with her newly enhanced senses. Virginia sighed, fighting the rising sense of panic. Something had gone wrong. She was sure of it. Closing her eyes, she tried to visualise what had happened, but no clue came to her. She was making as if to turn back towards the house when she heard suddenly the faint flap flap sound of bird wings, but they were odd, erratic, not the usual smooth and regular rythum of flight. She turned back, just as a tiny flash of colour appeared out of the leaves and darted up to her shoulder. It was a magic bird, and it panted loudly, looking like it was about to collapse. It had small dark stains on it's breast and Virginia smelt blood. Alarmed, she reached to take the bird into her hands. It craned to look up at her face.

"Oh miss, I found you!" it whispered. Virginia waited with held breath as it struggled to speak. "Oh, your Wolf, he, they, went inside. They didn't come out all the day. I went to see. I was attacked. A bigger, black bird, it chased me away. I fled, I'm sorry" it continued weakly. Virginia held it to her cheek, but she was already running, back towards the farm house, calling out to Elsie as she went. The older woman came out of the cottage, looking as alarmed as Virginia felt.

"What's wrong? What's happened?"

"Wolf's in trouble. I knew it! I have to go after him, right now! He's in the Deadly Swamp, and that crazed old witch has him, I'm sure of it Elsie! Now, will you stay here with Caelum while I go? Virginia spoke in a rush, yet she felt strangely calm at the same time. So, the old witch had played her hand again. Well, Virginia had bested her before and would do so once more. Virginia felt confident that the witch had not the capability to cause actual harm to Wolf, or anyone for that matter, else she would have used it when Virginia had first come upon her. That of course meant that Wolf was being used as bait, a lure to draw Virginia to that old hut in the swamp. Virginia wondered what the old crone wanted with her, apart from the obvious desire for revenge. She flew up the stairs two at a time, flinging on her good walking boots and a thick jacket, since she figured she'd be out most of the night. Even if she took the old pony, she'd be unlikely to reach the swamp until daybreak, Virginia realised. Clattering down the stairs, she took in the worried look on Elsie's face.

"Virginia, have you thought about this? It's too dangerous to go alone. Let us go to the castle first. We can get reinforcements and leave Caelum with your father"

"No, there's no time to go out of our way. This way is best. She wants me to come there, that's all. But she won't find me to be the frightened girl that I was! No sirree!" Virginia said, then laughed at herself using Wolf's typical phrase. She shook out her arms, feeling the exhiliration. A part of her mind cautioned quietly that this sudden rush of energy and fearlessness might be related to her werewolf blood, but she ignored the warning. It felt too good to be up and active, making things happen. No more running away for Virginia. Time to _become_. Elsie stepped back and cast down her worried eyes as Virginia called Caelum's name. The cub appeared from some hidey hole and scampered up to his mother.

"Good boy" Virginia said to him as she scooped him up. "Now, stay with Elsie. Mama's going to get Daddy back, okay? I'll be back very soon, I promise" she continued, watching as his little eyebrows raised in a comical imitation of his father. She kissed him and handed him over to Elsie.

"Take care of him for me, please? You've been so good to us Elsie, and here I am just dumping him on you..."

"Ah, go on girl. We'll be fine and we'll be waiting. Go do what you've got to do" Elsie said, holding Caelum close to her. Virginia didn't want to waste what scant light remained, so she went swiftly to the stable, saddling up the groaning old pony Jed. Leading him out the the yard, she mounted and waved to Elsie and her son standing at the window. She bit back sudden tears at the thought of leaving her baby again, even for a short time. It was going to cost her and Wolf a fortune in therapy to straighten out her poor little man, she thought wryly. Well, that was on the proviso that life's drama's ever left them alone long enough for Caelum to realise what a normal life actually was. Tucking the tired magic bird into her shirt pocket, she nudged the grumpy pony in the ribs with her boots and turned his head towards the road that would take her back to the Deadly Swamp.

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Wolf huffed and puffed as strongly as he could, but it did no good. Well, aside from the fact that it gave him some sense of doing something, anything, to get himself and his brother out of their predicament. But as far as affecting an escape, all his struggles were coming to be next to useless. Exhausted for the moment, he ceased his limbs and just floated a while in the strange nowhere. At least it didn't involve pain, this place. Not yet anyway. He swung his head from side to side, trying for the thousandth time to find some way out, a back door that he'd so far overlooked. But there was only blackness on three sides and the silvery barrier at the front. This barrier was the other side of the glass that made up a magical mirror, he knew that now. He closed his eyes against the faint light that came across the glass, cursing his own stupidity as he had done so many times in the past few hours. Assuming that only a few hours had actually passed, of course. There was no way to tell how long they had been in here. Wolf let his mind drift back a little to the moments before Elias had sprung his trap.

He and Willem had been cautious as they had slunk down the steps, yet not so much as to betray any real fear. They were adult male half-wolf's after all, and such as they were they did not wish to appear like frightened cubs and therefore give away any mental advantage. It was a bluff all too typical of the males of any species. See, I am bigger, stronger, I walk confidently. Wolf scratched his head in the gloom. Perhaps if he and Willem had come down the stairs a little less threateningly, Elias would not have felt as if he needed to protect himself from them. Or maybe not. Who knew what the werewolf was thinking? They certainly hadn't had that much conversation this day for Wolf to be able to tell one way or the other.

Wolf hadn't been in the hut before, much less the basement, but Virginia had described it to him on many occasions, so the first impressions he had of the place didn't disturb him as much as it ordinarily would have. He knew about the slimy, moss covered open tomb, and in fact the rotting stench of the corpse announced it's presence long before he actually sighted it. The blackened and half decayed old witch lay in her open coffin directly in the centre of the room, just as Virginia had described it. Wolf stood on the lowest step, taking in the gruesome layout. The corpse had an unusual scent for a dead thing, like it was almost dead, but not quite. It was unnatural and it gave Wolf the shivers. Virginia had described the thing moving an arm and speaking to her. Behind him on the step above, Willem had grunted a barely audible growl.

"Phew! And I thought the swamp stank!" he had added in the human tongue. Wolf knew he was trying to goad the corpse into responding so that they could test the limits of it's involvement. But the thing hadn't moved an inch. Wolf wondered wryly what he would have done if the witch had suddenly stood up and spoken. Probably high-tailed it back up the stairs, and stuff the illusion of superiority! After a minute of close observation, Wolf and Willem had come to an unspoken conclusion that the witch posed no particular threat and they had stepped forward together, moving away from the door. Wolf had scented Elias easily and his sharp eyes found him hiding back in the shadows against the wall.

"Elias? Why do you sit down here in this place?". Wolf was pleased that his human voice had come out strong, but conversational. He wanted Elias to respond in kind, he realised. No shouting match, no accusations, no crass physical struggle. He still cared for the man, despite everything he'd done. They'd been friends, as close as den brothers even. Surely Elias would remember these things, take back his barbing words. Wolf found himself holding his breath as he waited for the werewolf's reply. Elias had come forward after a long moment, resting his hand on the frame of an old cracked mirror. In retrospect, Wolf knew that he probably should have kept more of an eye on that particular mirror, but his gaze went immediately to Elias, desperately trying to see some form of emotion on the man's face.

"I've been thinking, about many things. The past, the future" Elias answered finally, his voice as flat and expressionless as his features.

"There are plenty better places to sit and think. There is clear air and blue skies above. Will you not come with me now?" Wolf responded, but inwardly he began to worry. This was not the man he knew. Elias, his brother in spirit if not in blood, had always been softly spoken, but clear and concise always. He did not drift in thought or speech, and his expressions ever matched his feelings. Wolf wondered whether the man had lost his mind finally, as he had always said he'd feared. Wolf scrambled his brain to try and find a way of reaching the broken werewolf.

"Brother. Perhaps you think I blame you for what has happened, but I do not. Virginia does not. You must believe me"

Wolf spoke quietly, his hands held out subconciously towards Elias. The man's eyes gleamed suddenly as a stray shaft of light struck his face. Wolf shivered despite himself and he heard Willem come up close behind him as Elias smiled a bitter smile.

"It is not your place to offer forgiveness Wolf. And I am not your brother" he grated roughly, his hand sliding minutely down the frame. Wolf heard his real brother hiss softly in alarm, but it was too late to react, for either of them. A great light had shone out from the fractured glass and within an instant it had enveloped Wolf. It clung to every pore of his skin and he closed his eyes against the brightness of it. Slowly, he realised that he was moving sideways and he felt the cool smoothness of the mirror glass as he passed through it. There was a faint popping sound and he opened his eyes to see his brother Willem come floating through the glass, along with some odd other things, like a few worms, bugs and a big spider. With a jolt he realised that he and Willem had fallen into one of the oldest mirror tricks in the Kingdoms. A Reflection Capture mirror. Any living thing within the view of the glass when it was activated was now contained neatly within it. The spider had spun around and around in the void and Wolf had been hard pressed not to do the same in his initial panic. Willem had grabbed at his arm, drawing his attention away from the vast emptiness at their backs.

"Settle little brother. We're not harmed. We're in the mirror. Crafty old witch must have told him how to activate it"

"Obviously! But why? Oh, this is just hopeless. I've stuffed it up again. Well, of course the witch would want to do me harm, since I helped Virginia spoil her plans. We shouldn't have turned our backs on her"

"Ah yes, black magic never dies, it is said" Willem had replied, and Wolf had heard the wry humor in his voice.

"How can you think this is funny?" Wolf growled back, frustrated at his older brothers seeming lack of understanding at their situation.

"Oh, stop it Lucian! Admit it, you're just embarrassed that your tiny little mate will have to come and rescue you"

"Stop calling me that. I am Wolf, to you and everyone now. Lucian is ashes" Wolf responded sharply, but he had to admit that Willem had it partially right. Virginia would come to get them out, and yes, he would be embarrassed about it. It was probably the whole aim of the exercise, to get Virginia here. The witch likely had many more lethal methods at her disposal to use against Wolf if she so chose. She had arms, eyes and legs to use in Elias too, he thought angrily. So, let Virginia come here, he muttered to himself, staring darkly through the mirror at Elias, who sat crosslegged on the floor next to the corpse-witch. Except that Wolf didn't know which one wanted her more, the witch or the werewolf.

Many hours later, Wolf startled himself wide awake from a doze when Elias came close to the glass, almost pressing his face against it. Wolf wondered how much he and Willem could be seen from the real world side. Wolf's view was smoky and slightly blurred in places and he could hear no sounds at all. Elias looked both sad and grimly defiant when he peered into the mirror. Wolf tried desperately to reach forward and place his hand up to the barrier, but as always it eluded his grasp, like it was made of thin air. Elias stepped back a pace and then very deliberately looked upwards, cocking his head to one side as if listening. The meaning was unmistakeable to Wolf. Someone was moving around upstairs and he guessed just who that someone might be.

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Virginia had ridden Jed for most of the night, stopping only now and then to let him rest and drink from the clear streams that flowed over the land. The crescent moon gave off minimal light, but Virginia was delighted in how well she could see her way. She guided the pony confidently across the fields, skirting the common patches of woodland, those stands of trees that had escaped the confines of the disenchanted forest to throw down roots far from their kindred. Several sets of eyes watched her as she passed by, but none disturbed her travels. Virginia allowed herself a moments fancy that the watchers didn't care to approach her because of the hidden power she now carried, thinking that it must be obvious to those who had grown up in a world full of magic. Then she had laughed, dispelling the fantasy that she was anything other than the ordinary girl she saw in the mirror every morning. She rode on, openly, not caring to keep hidden or silent in case Wolf and Willem were on their way back. But she saw no sign of them.

By daybreak the stench of the Deadly Swamp was beginning to assail her sensitive nostrils. It appeared over the horizon as a dull green smudge, looking more than ever like a blot on the landscape. Virginia wondered why Wendell, or any of the other rulers of the 4th and 7th Kingdoms had not tried to clean out the place, evict the less desirable tenants. Maybe they had tried and failed. Virginia rode along the edges of the swamp, looking for the place where she and her father had entered more than a year ago. Quite a near disaster, that short cut had been. There was nothing that jogged her memory, but she did come upon the spot where Wolf and his brother had bedded down for the night. It was the sudden faint scent of him that came to her, making her stop the weary pony and dismount. She crouched down, seeing the smooth patches of grass where they had lain the night before. Virginia breathed deeply close to the ground, pleased suddenly that she could identify her lover's scent, but she realised that she had been doing that very thing for at least the past week anyway, just not being aware of it. Virginia had always found Wolf's natural wild scent pleasant, but now it was almost intoxicating to her. Did Wolf ever get this odd rush of blood to the head (and other places, she thought with a grin) when he smelt her? Very much so, she guessed.

Well, she couldn't just stay here all day sniffing, Virginia thought with some amusement, standing up and going back to relieve Jed of some of his burdens of saddle and bridle. She slapped the old pony on the rump, heading him in the direction of the lush fields nearby. She didn't know whether he would stay close by or not but she knew she couldn't worry about details like that right now. Turning back to the gloomy swamp, she stepped out, confident that all paths in this place led back to the little hut where the swamp witch lay in her self imposed corpse palace.


	6. Chapter 6

Circle Of Sisters

6._ Hera's Bargains_

The tramp through the sludge and muck didn't take as long as Virginia had hoped. She wanted time to prepare, to think and plan what she might say and do, but the treacherous paths led her feet almost directly to the ruined cottage within an hour of her leaving Jed on the edge of the swamp. Almost as if her very arrival had been anticipated and now, assisted to it's conclusion. This was not necessarily a reassuring thought to Virginia. It was obvious that the swamp witch, Snow White's evil step mother, still held considerable influence over this boggy part of the Kingdoms. As she slogged through the mud, Virginia remembered the first time she had come upon the witch. Of course, the first "witch" she had met that day had in fact been Acorn the dwarf, dressed up to look very much the part and putting his scarred face to effective use. Virginia recalled begging the faker not to hurt her before she recognized him. Had the real witch in the basement laughed when she'd heard that? Probably, and most likely she was laughing even now at the thought of getting the chance to scare Virginia again. Except that Virginia no longer considered herself to be the easily frightened type.

Virginia felt a small rustling in her shirt pocket and looked to see the magic bird peeping out at her. She watched as it took in it's surroundings, trying to hide it's dismay at being back in the swamp.

"It's okay, I'll look after you. What's your name anyway?" she asked it.

"Really Miss? I'm Twig, that's my name. Look, that's the place, that's where they went in" the bird answered, almost shrieking when the hut came into plain view. It ducked back down, crawling it's way right down to the bottom of Virginia's pocket. She reached to pat the outside of her shirt absently, her attention now completely on what lay ahead. The shack looked from the outside exactly as it had when she had last seen it a year and a half ago. Virginia supposed that the witch must have put some sort of a spell on it to keep it from falling down and rotting away like most things would do when left in this warm and humid environment. A small wisp of smoke floated out of the chimney and Virginia took a deep breath to steel herself and calm her sudden nerves. Wolf was in there, she was certain of it, and she frowned at the thought that he might have been hurt, or worse. She waited outside a few minutes more, allowing the anger to build to a level before letting it wash away, leaving her mind cool and calm, focussed.

Virginia walked boldly up to the door where it hung askew on it's rusty hinges. Pushing it gently forward, she stooped to enter the top room of the cottage. A man sat at the small fireplace, his back to her. It wasn't Acorn, no dwarf but a full sized man, dressed in ragged dirty clothing. He turned his head slightly at her entrance and Virginia saw that he was tending a pot of some bubbling concoction that was suspended over the fire. He stirred it with a rusty spoon, tapping the side of the pot with care.

"Hungry? Have some?" he asked, turning to face her fully as he rose and gave a comical type bow. Virginia stared at his face openly, knowing it to be rude, but unable to help herself. It was horribly disfigured, with a great jagged scar running the length from forehead to jaw. One eye was missing altogether. In fact, it was odd just how much he looked like Acorn. Something about the face nagged at her memory. Had she seen him before? Surely she'd remember a face like that. His denim coat hung loose over his shoulders, and the label on the front caught her eye. Levi. An all American brand. The man was from the 10th Kingdom, but who and how? He proffered the dirty spoon to her, but Virginia shook her head. He looked disappointed.

"Pity. Nice food to help the pretty lady" he responded, and something about his voice triggered Virginia's memories. This was the young Irish priest who had spied upon them in Central Park. Let me help you. Yes, he'd tried to help alright, but his ideas of assistence had clashed somewhat with Wolf and Virginia's, she recalled with distaste. A sudden chill ran through her as she realised what had probably happened to his face. Wolf had done this. He'd not spoken to Virginia of what he'd done when he'd escaped from the priest's evil cage, but she had always assumed some violence had been involved, given the amount of blood left lying on the floor of the abbey. She'd stepped in it even. So, this was what someone looked like when Wolf had had a go at them. She shivered, not out of pity for the man, but simply because she had rarely seen evidence of Wolf's violent side presented so obviously before. It was totally different to seeing his typical kills of rabbits, sheep, deer and the like. Virginia wondered why he just hadn't killed the priest outright, but when she looked into the vacant, dulled eyes of the man she guessed that perhaps there hadn't been any need. He gazed upon her with no sign of recognition whatsoever. After a moment he returned to his pot, seeming to forget that Virginia was even there. She cleared her throat softly but he continued stirring. There was no time to worry about how he had gotten here in the first place, she thought, but then the witch had a habit of picking up disturbed people from New York.

"Wolf?" Virginia called, although she was not expecting an answer. If he was able to respond, he'd have been likely hollering at her to get the hell away from this place by now. She moved forward, not liking to leave the disturbing man at her back but not seeing any other way. He did not try and stop her from approaching the stairwell, but she saw his lips moving as if he silently spoke to someone. She almost giggled at the sudden vision she had of this strange priest trying to "announce" her as she stood at the top of this particular staircase. _Witches, half wolfs and werewolves, may I present_... Virginia sighed and grabbed up a candle to light the way down. She let her feet fall heavily on each tread as she descended to the crypt below. Standing on the lowest step, she paused to get her bearings.

It was just as she remembered it, which was surprising considering that the only other time she had been here she had been so scared that it was a miracle she recalled anything other than that rotted hand reaching for her. The open sarcophagus was the central focus of the room, it's stone sides covered still with creeping slime and moss. The swamp witch lay as before, unmoving, yet not without the spark of life, all that was left of her as she clung to the earthly realm. Virginia cast her gaze back and forth, both looking and scenting for Wolf. She picked out his familiar form almost at once, and she quietly breathed in relief that he seemed to be in one piece at least. But he wavered and rippled in a slow motion type movement and he was suspended several inches off the floor. Virginia could see the faint outline of another form, Willem, hovering behind Wolf and, drawing back her focus, the old wooden frame of a mirror suddenly became apparent. Virginia had seen enough magic mirrors not to be surprised at the fact that her lover and mate now appeared to be _inside _one. Leaving the lower step, she strode into the crypt with as much confidence as she could muster. Skirting the open coffin without even deigning it's occupant a glance, she approached the mirror. Wolf had seen her now, she noticed, and he was making odd swimming like motions as he tried to reach her. His mouth was open as if trying to speak, but no sounds carried across the glass, and Virginia suspected the same was true in reverse. Carefully she ran her hands along the edges of the frame, searching for the catch that might release Wolf and his brother.

"Make sure you don't hit the 'on' switch by accident, Virginia" spoke a voice behind her. Even though Virginia knew exactly who stood there, the expression on Wolf's face left her in no doubt at all. She held up a hand to try and soothe his anger, seeing that Willem was attempting that very same thing. Bit by bit the rage left him, but the fear for her remained all too obviously on his features. Virginia sighed in frustration. How could she explain to Wolf that she was in no danger from Elias? She turned her back to the mirror, not liking to do so, but knowing instinctively that this had to be played out in a certain way. Elias sat on the edge of the open stone coffin, gaping at her in a way that made Virginia feel both uncomfortable and, strangely, aroused. _Your own kind_. Virginia shook her head, trying to clear it of the odd emotions roiling through her at the sight of Elias. Her skin tingled as if her very blood was trying to escape, cross the few feet between them and return to it's original host. It was, a, _magnetic_, experience, and Virginia saw that Elias was feeling the same things. Tears coursed unchecked down his cheeks and she felt an immense desire to wipe them away with her own touch. Virginia put her hands to her temples, rubbing at them in confusion. Behind her, she could almost feel the love radiating out from the mirror. Yes. Love and Wolf. Hand in hand they went, those two. Virginia and Wolf. Not Elias, no. The spell of deception fell from her like a heavy mantle slipping to the floor. The air in the tomb crackled with anger, and, Virginia realised, humour.

"A nice try, a nice try" she said aloud. Elias jumped at the sound of her voice and looked at her in puzzlement.

"What do you mean?"

"I wasn't talking to you, Elias" Virginia spoke as she moved forward. She ignored the sudden light in Elias' eyes as he thought she was moving towards him. She came to stand at the foot of the coffin, staring down into it with a carefully controlled expression of comtempt on her face. The corpse twitched and the blackened lips parted as air hissed out of the gaps in the skull.

"Well, well, you can't blame me for trying" the old hag croaked.

"I could blame you for everything, actually"

"Ah now, that wouldn't be fair, not fair at all, _fair _Virginia. Really child, you expect too much of me"

"Fair? What would you know about being fair? And as for expectations, here's just what I expect. No, actually, I demand it. You will release Wolf and Willem from the mirror, you will cease whatever evil hold you have over Elias..."

"She has no hold over me, Virginia. I'm here of my own free will" said Elias, interrupting. He sidled closer to her, reaching out for her hand. Virginia snatched it away, but she was unable to hide the fact that it pained her to do so. The witch had only played up what was already there, it seemed to Virginia. She closed her eyes for a moment, calming herself, willing her heart to stop thudding. She couldn't afford to panic now. It was a battle of wits and wills and for the time being, it looked to be two against one. What could Elias see in such an evil creature as this witch? The corpse wheezed raggedly.

"It's true, girl. And don't waste your time demanding things when you must know the way of such things by now. But come now. Your wolf lover is in no immediate danger. He could have been, of course, but I chose to spare him, just as I chose to spare you. Come, sit down here, at my feet. Your mother used to sit at my feet, you know. You're very much like her"

"I'm nothing like her, old witch"

"Her name is Hera, Virginia. She knows about us. I trust her" Elias cut in once more. Virginia looked away from the corpse to stare at him as he sat perched on the edge of the coffin. She knew? The witch knew about her? Virginia felt cold suddenly at her secret being in the possession of such a one as, Hera. She spoke the name silently, disliking the sound of it. Her knees felt weak as a great portion of her courage failed. She stepped away from the coffin to sit on the lower level of the dias on which it lay, not realising that she had accidently sat herself down exactly as the witch had bid her. In the corner of her eye she saw Elias creeping forward to sit down next to her. If he so much as touched her, she would, what? Scream, or sigh? Elias seemed to realise her discomfort and he sat awkwardly, his hands clasped before him as if in prayer.

"Virginia, I don't know what to say to you. I practiced many times, in my head, since I first realised what had befallen you. Sorry just didn't seem to sound right to me and now that I see you, I know why. I can't be sorry, not now that you're here, that we're together. We're the _same_, Virginia. Don't deny it, I can see it in your eyes that you know this"

"I did not ask for this"

"Nor did I. But now that it has chosen you, can you afford to ignore the benefits it will bring to your life? Please don't tell me that you reject your new senses, your new skills. You're using them even now, they're a part of you now. Just as I am a part of your life now. I made you. We belong together, you and I" Elias continued in his whispery voice. Virginia found herself agreeing with much of what he said. But it was also the biggest load of rubbish she'd ever heard.

"Tell me, Elias, was this a part of some grand plan of yours? Did you really want to return to being a normal human man, or did you simply want access to this world, a place where you could fit in better than your own?"

"I don't know Virginia. It could be that what you say is true. I grieved when I had thought the power lost to me. I came to think that it was wrong to give it up. Maybe that was what went wrong with the spell. Griselda asked me time and again if I was sure this was what I wanted and I assured her that it was. But as for making some conscious decision to come here and wreak havoc with the peoples of these lands, well no, I did not plan for that"

"I think that you sought only love and friendship, Elias. Wolf offered them both to you"

"Yes, that he did. But is love such a bad thing to reach out for?"

"No. But Wolf didn't offer _me_, Elias" Virginia said with some conviction. Best to put this werewolf's aspirations in perspective. She glanced sideways at him, seeing his forehead creased with the strain. Tentatively she reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind his ear. He grasped her hand, bringing it to his lips and she allowed him this small comfort despite the roiling anger contained within the mirror a few feet away.

"Release him. Let them out" she said, withdrawing her hand gently. Elias sniffed and rubbed at his reddened eyes.

"I can't. I don't know how. She didn't tell me"

"Then go out from this place. Leave me with her"

"What will you do? You can't destroy her Virginia. She's not what you think she is. I've been here, spoken with her at length. She understands me, and you too. She respects you, Virginia" Elias said, but he got to his feet as he spoke, looking down on the coffin with a curiously benign expression on his face. He moved slowly around the head end and made his way to the base of the stairs, glancing back over his shoulder to Virginia. "I'll be above if you need me" he said simply. Virginia waited until his footsteps had faded away before she rose herself, brushing off the bits of mud and scum from her trousers. She stepped up to the side of the coffin, taking care to stay out of reach of the cadaverous arms should they decide to reach out suddenly. Despite Elias' words, Virginia was not about to give the corpse-witch any benefit of doubt.

"Release him" she said, careful not too sound too desperate, but knowing also that the witch Hera knew just how much she loved him. The corpse crackled as the eyes opened. They glistened with health and vigour in the way that none of the rest of the body did.

'Tut tut tut, dearest Virginia. You know that's not how things are done. We, as equals, well, we must negotiate such matters"

"We are not equals. Not even remotely"

"Really? I consider you mine. Are we not both women of strength and character, destined to change the present and future as we see fit? And please, lets not waste valuable time discussing the finer points. The great arguements between good and evil have gone on forever and a day. I'm sure they bore the Great Powers immensely, who are after all, forever neutral in earthly matters" Hera rasped. Virginia suppressed a shudder as a minute part of the witches' left ear fell off. Hera's words did strike something of a chord with her though, she had to admit. Except for the part about changing the future. Virginia wanted no more of that, no thank you. She'd played her part in the history of these lands, and no-one had even asked for her permission in the first place. But she hadn't come here to discuss philosophy with a half-dead crone. She just wanted her Wolf back.

"What do you want?" she asked finally.

"Ah ha! Now we're getting somewhere little girl. But really, you shouldn't have given in so quickly, unless my company revolts you more than I anticipated"

"You have no idea. What more did you want? Want me to tell you how easy it would be to shake you loose from that pathetic remnant that houses your soul? Think that I'm afraid of you? I gave birth, in the middle of winter, at home, in this Kingdom, with no doctors and no drugs, so _nothing_ fazes me anymore" Virginia spoke with heat, leaning right over and peering into the witches face. The breath was putrid when it came, in great gusts as Hera laughed.

"Yes, yes, that's better, much better" she wheezed as Virginia recoiled in disgust at the smell. "And of course, how could I forget, you're a mother now. It's changed you, little Virginia. But still so young, so much more to learn. Are you ready for the lessons, little mother?"

"Just tell me what you want" Virginia said, feeling the strain of the mental effort required to hold her ground with Hera. She was no good at this verbal jousting and never had been. She wanted out of this place, and soon. She glanced across the room to where Wolf waited patiently, his expression blurred and unreadable.

"What do I want, what do I want?" the corpse mused as if savouring a wolf sized buffet table. "Well, I tell you what. You agree to do a certain thing for me, sometime in the future, and I agree to release your pet wolf and his companion unharmed. Plus, out of the goodness of my heart, and I do have one, by the way, I will throw in a bonus that you very much want"

"A certain thing? What thing exactly? And what bonus are you talking about? Virginia asked, concentrating furiously on the witches words. The last thing she wanted was to agree to a verbal trap.

"The thing? Well, to be truthful, I don't yet know. I had always anticipated that we would meet once more, but I did not guess that it would be so soon. Your encounter with the werewolf, is that what you call it, has pushed forward our reunion. But, you wisely have doubts over what I will ask of you. So let me give my word that it will involve no harm to your mate, nor your son, nor any that you have come to love"

"How do I know you'll keep to this word?" Virginia asked, although she knew the reality of the situation. If there was one aspect to deal making that was adhered to in these worlds, it was the oath of the spoken word. A great many of the tales and legends of these lands concerned what happened to those who went back on their word. But a future claim was just so vague. It could mean anything. She looked again at Wolf, floating so close but so far out of reach. Would he do the same thing to secure her release? Of course he would, without even a second thought. Except that he understood deal making better than she did. He'd made one before, with Virginia's own mother. She'd held him to it but he still found a way to defeat her. Maybe Virginia would be able to do the same. Keeping her eyes firmly on Wolf, she spoke the words.

"I agree". A faint breeze blew through the tomb, stirring the stagnant puddles with little ripples across their surfaces. Virginia fought down the sense of unease. She would prevail. Perhaps this was the test she'd always known was coming. She shook herself back to awareness. The witch-corpse lay unmoving, it's eyes closed. Virginia sensed no triumph or gloating from the thing. Maybe this Hera really did think of her as an equal. Did she think now that Virginia might be able to avoid her future claims as easily as she had avoided the traps set by her protege, Virginia's own mother Christine? It would be an uneasy truce between them she realised.

"Tell me how to release the mirror"

"Of course. But, don't you want to know what my added bonus is?" Hera replied. Virginia nodded slowly. She'd forgotten about that part. She hoped she just hadn't unwittingly put her head through the noose.

"I can tell you how to remove this curse of yours" Hera rasped. Virginia was startled for a moment. It was the last thing she had expected to hear.

"How?" she asked, trying to keep the rising excitement out of her voice, even though she didn't know if she could trust what the witch might tell her to do.

"You need to find a Source, a great store of magic that is untainted by the words and deeds of mortal creatures. Many exist, but not all are accessible. You came very close to one once. Do you remember it? No? Then go to the Wishing Well, and start there. No more will I say on this. As for your half-wolf, go now to the mirror". Virginia obeyed, her mind still spinning, trying to make sense of the vague words regarding the cure for herself and Elias. Facing the glass, she put her hands up to the frame, feeling there the natural whorls in the timber. There were thousands of them, but she found the ones that Hera described, placing her fingertips over them in a precise order that she knew she'd never have guessed even if she'd stood there for a year. There was a quiet snick and the familiar smell of ozone which Virginia associated with a 'live' mirror. She stepped back just in time as Wolf, Willem and various small creatures were ejected rather unceremoniously from the glassy surface. They all landed in a heap on the mucky ground, Virginia leaping forward just as Wolf was turning back to grab for her. He held on to her so tightly she could barely breathe.

"Virginia, Virginia" he whispered over and over, using her human name and that particular growl which she knew to be her name in the wolfen tongue. She laughed and kissed him deeply, running her hands through his tangled hair. Over his shoulder she saw Willem getting to his feet, blushing all the while. She stood herself, pulling Wolf up to join her. Both brothers looked slightly giddy and held on to each other for balance. Wolf reached for her again but she held up her hand, hearing the irritated little chirp coming from her jacket pocket. She opened it to see the very ruffled magic bird who obviously hadn't enjoyed their reunion as much as they had. Virginia took Wolf's hand.

"Come on, lets get out of here"

"Wait. How did this happen? How did you get her to release us?". Virginia looked sideways at the corpse. It lay silent and she suspected it would stay that way. Yet all of a sudden, Virginia found that she couldn't tell Wolf the complete truth of what had transpired. Not now, not yet. Later, when they were both relaxed and calm and all this had been put behind them, then she would tell him. Yes. To tell him now would only worry him, and she needed him to focus now if they were to follow the clue given by Hera.

"I, ah, I used my influence on her. She's a coward really. I defeated her before, remember? So did she" Virginia answered him, desperately hoping he would not question the matter further. Wolf looked at her closely for a long moment and Virginia could tell that he had doubts, but he smiled and kissed her hand. Virginia knew that he had put aside his questions, for now anyway. He frowned deeply when he scented Elias on her hand and gazed with hard eyes up the stairs.

"Yes, lets go then. But, should we leave this, thing, here? You know how I dislike leaving an enemy at my back"

"And you know how much I dislike wanton destruction of anyone's life. Lets leave her. She's losing what little power she still has. In a few years time there will be nothing left of this corpse, no matter what spell she's cast on it" Virginia replied, wanting to get in one last little jab at the hateful witch that had caused so much suffering in the world above. To her satisfaction, it twitched in obvious anger at her words. She turned her back on it, pulling Wolf along with her as she entered the stairwell. There was a faint hissing sound at her back but she ignored it as she trudged back up to the room above the crypt. The mad priest was still there, tending his stew, but Virginia gave him no more than a backwards glance despite Wolf's wanting to stop and stare at the man. She burst out through the low doorway, feeling that even the moist smelly air of the swamp was better than the corrupted envirornment within the hut. She felt as tired as she had ever been, but it was a mental tiredness. Wolf wound his arms around her from the back and kissed the back of her neck gently. She put his hand to her breast, wanting his touch suddenly despite their unromantic surroundings.

"We've really got to stop doing this Wolf"

"What's that, beloved?"

"Rescuing each other. It's exhausting you know!"

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Down below in the darkness of her tomb, Hera lay deep in thought. It had gone well, very well indeed. It had been entertaining, at the very least. Hera had no more doubts over her choice. Plus, she had garned an extra bonus out of the deal. Pity that she had not had a chance to deal with the wolf, but it was true that her power was failing in many ways. Still, another opportunity would likely present itself soon.

A popping, gurgling sound drew her attention and she saw one of the pools of water that covered the floor begin to ripple and steam. A mist of vapour rose from the surface, growing larger as it loomed over the coffin. Hera suppressed a shudder as she gazed at the newly formed apparition. It was three times bigger than it needed to be, but then when did those such as the sender of the thing ever develop a less than grandiose vision? She waited while it formed itself into the vague outlines of a human face.

"It's done" Hera spoke sharply. The vapourous mouth moved and it's owners musical voice came out of it.

"So I see. And for your good work, I will of course honour my end of the bargain"

"See that you do, sister". The misty shape laughed.

"Do not place yourself so high, Hera. Your aspirations have long foretold your exclusion from us" it said in it's singsong voice. Hera scowled at it. A breeze blew through and the shape dissipated with barely a murmur. After a time, Hera felt confident enough to think her innermost thoughts. _You're placing far too much faith in this little girl, pond water Goddess. I have put her feet to the path, but she may never make it to you and your inner circle. And even if she does, she comes not before you untainted. What will you do when she runs from the tests? What will you do if she fails? And what will you do when you discover what your precious child has just given away?_


	7. Chapter 7

Circle Of Sisters

7. _Secrets_

For once in the short time since they had been reunited, Wolf was happy for his brother to take the lead. He was quite content to linger down the trail a bit and walk beside his Virginia. It served two purposes. First, it allowed him to keep her in close proximity, so that he might touch her as often as he wanted, though quite innocently since they had company after all and secondly, he was able to block the view of Virgina from the one who followed behind. Wolf glanced back over his shoulder, not caring that the other man knew he had Wolf so guarded. Elias trudged through the swamp muck, his eyes downcast as he watched his footing carefully. Wolf found himself hoping that the man would fall headfirst into one of the bottomless ponds that were scattered over the expanse of the swamp. Would Virginia try and jump in to rescue him then? It was more disturbing to Wolf to admit that he really didn't know the answer to that question. Something had passed between them, that much was obvious.

Although he hadn't been able to hear anything of the conversation that Virginia had had with Elias, Wolf was a master at reading body language. Elias had become enamoured of his beautiful mate. On one level, Wolf understood Elias. Virginia was indeed a treasure, as the werewolf had once described her. She had a great beauty certainly, but one only had to spend a spell of time with her to realise that her true value lay elsewhere. She would be utterly desirable to the males of any species. From a wolfie perspective, she was a good, calm and protective mother who bore strong and healthy cubs. From a human's point of view, she was intelligent, loyal and a heap of fun to be around as well. But what would a werewolf see in her now? Elias had told them once that he'd never met another of his kind aside from the one who made him. Wolf knew that he had inadvertently destroyed the one woman he had loved, his Bella, many years ago. Did Elias now reach out for Virginia, knowing her to be the only other werewolf he knew, and an eminently beautiful one at that?

He reached out a hand to help her as she got her boot stuck in some mushy spot. She smiled at him readily enough, but Wolf saw in her eyes the same shadows he had been seeing ever since they'd escaped the witches hut. Wolf hadn't been happy about leaving the hut, and the mad priest Connor within it, undisturbed. He wanted to burn it to the ground, destroy the crypt and it's evil mistress.

"I don't like leaving it like this Virginia" he'd said, seeing Elias creeping up from behind a tree. Virginia had turned to him with a look that told him she had heard his thinly veiled double threat.

"No, Wolf. We're going now. We'll leave this place as we found it. It's in ruins already, as I said"

"But why?" Wolf asked, stroking her hair the way he often did when trying to get her to agree with him. But she was having none of his tricks today it seemed. And yet her answer, when it came, was ambiguous and she'd been unable to meet his eyes fully.

"Everything has it's place, Wolf. Good and bad. Besides, think how many wards and spells surround this place. It would take a long time to get round them all, and I don't have a lot of time. And what would you have us do to the priest? Lets face it, if he's the best she can attract then she's got less influence than we thought" Virginia had replied eventually. Wolf just knew she was holding something back, which was so unlike her it gave him a momentary chill. He had given her a long stare but he decided not to push the issue any further. He still trusted her implicitly and it would upset her no end if she thought he doubted her. Poor little lamb chop needed him to stand by her more than ever now, he realised. Her confidence in herself, so hard won, was being eroded away day by day as the moon grew fuller and the time of her transformation grew nearer. She probably thought her evasiveness was protecting him. Maybe Elias had confided some horrible werewolf secret to her that she didn't want him to know about. This same man had come forward now and Wolf had half smiled to see Willem step between the two parties, stopping Elias in his tracks. It was so nice to have back-up now and again. Wolf had whisper growled through Virginia's embrace.

"What about _him_?"

"He's coming with us" Virginia had said, in that even and firm voice that Wolf knew he'd never be able to talk round. He stared hard at the man but Elias wouldn't, or couldn't meet his gaze. Wolf snorted softly through his nostrils, knowing it to be a somewhat dismissive gesture to the other man, but unable to find an appropriate verbal response. Virginia smiled at him as if in gratitude that he'd refrained from tearing Elias to shreds like she must have known he wanted to. He kissed her on the mouth quite passionately, feeling the sudden need to claim her as his own despite knowing how foolish it must look.

"Very well my love. Where then shall we go?"

"First, back home. Then, I have a sudden hankering to go visit the Peeps again"

"The Peeps? Oh no, not that place, please! Little Lamb Village isn't exactly on my 'must go there again' list!"

"Don't worry Wolf, I won't let them get you again" Virginia replied with a laugh. With a toss of her head, she moved off, away from the cottage and into the swamp. In spite of the doubts in her eyes, she moved with assurance, Wolf noticed. Had she always gone like that, or was it the wolf in her now?

By mid morning they had reached the edge of the swamp, but they left a long trail of muddy footprints behind them as they crossed the nearby fields.

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Below, in the confines of the crypt under the cottage, Hera made her physical face smile. One aspect of the girl's behaviour she had interpreted correctly at least. Virginia still shied from causing death and destruction, no matter how deserving the recipient. The girl had a lot to learn yet though, she reminded herself. Behind her, in the shadows, the man stirred restlessly. He came to stand over her corpse. His eyes now held no trace of the madness that the others had seen.

"You did well, Connor" Hera said, allowing him a rare compliment. And he had too. He had been effectively discounted, just as she had hoped he would be. The man still looked discontent though.

"What good did it do me?" he replied, sullen. "You promised me my revenge, Hera"

"And you shall get it, in due time. But what were you expecting? Did you think that you could take on two full grown wolves by yourself? They'd have had you disemboweled before you could even blink. And I needed them alive, to lure the girl here"

"What did you want that harlot for?"

"It's not something you need to be concerned with, man. Now, do you want to hear my plans for your long awaited vengeance?" Hera replied, fending off the question aptly. Connor's eyes lit up at the mention of getting back at Wolf. Hera didn't really know what had gone between them, nor did she care so long as it suited her purposes. But she judged from the man's scarred visage that at least one of their encounters had been of the physical sort. How typical that a wolf, even when let loose in the vastness of the 10th Kingdom, could not refrain from harming humans. "Now, listen here man. As I said, you have no hope of winning against him, or any of his kind, in a crass struggle. Nor will you be able to turn others to your side against him. Well, not in this Kingdom, where he is a hero of the realm. So, gather together these few things for me, and prepare for a journey. I know where they are headed. One in particular would also wish to know this. This person will provide the means for your revenge, Connor. And if you're lucky, she might even let you watch"

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Elias had been happy to keep his distance from the others, but in the close confines of the rickety old cart that Virginia had flagged down it had become impossible. The driver had been glad to offer them a ride as far as the palace of King Wendell and the quartet had crowded in amongst the pile of sweet smelling cheeses he carried. The silence built as they swayed along on the rutted roads. Wolf had Virginia close to him, curled up under his arm almost, and he was picking intently at the dried mud on his long boots. The other male half-wolf, who Elias had not been introduced to, lay crosswise on the floor of the cart, his legs hanging over the side. Elias noticed that this half-wolf had carefully placed himself between Wolf and his own self, but he didn't quite know just for who's benefit he did so. Not that Elias could blame Wolf for his antagonism, given all that had passed between them. _And all that will come. _He rubbed at his head as the barely heard words trickled into his mind. The further away that they travelled from Hera, the less Elias was able to hear her thought-voice, it appeared.

He stretched his long legs out, trying to get a position that didn't rub on his shoulder wound. The half-wolf stranger watched his every move from under his eyelashes. Tired of the enmity suddenly, Elias extended his hand to the half-wolf.

"I am Elias. May I ask your name?" he asked in his best cultured voice. The other man smiled faintly and took his hand in a firm grip which belied his slight frame.

"Name's Willem. I'm this one's big brother" he said with an equally polite tone and a nod towards Wolf in the front.

"Ah, of course, I should have guessed. You were there that night. If I recall, you were something of an unexpected guest, yes?"

"Oh quite, and uninvited too! But then I can scarcely blame my little brother for omitting me from the guest list. He did think I was dead, at his hands too, no less. I have been wondering for some days now, what would have gone between us that night had you not interupted our little reunion, Elias. Perhaps we'd have parted in anger once more, who knows?"

"That seems rather crooked logic to me. But surely you wouldn't have wanted such a tragedy to happen just so you and Wolf could take your attention away from yourselves?"

"No, of course not. But I work best in the 'now' of things. Tragedy was averted, for Virginia at least. Wolf and I were reunited and our bond reformed under dire circumstances. These things happened. I waste little time thinking about the 'what if's' of an event, nor even on the 'what may be's'. I'm a storyteller by trade. I know that things will always play out to their correct conclusion, regardless of how one chooses to tell the tale" Willem replied. Elias saw Virginia stir slightly in Wolf's embrace.

"You're very wise Willem" she said, but her expression was resigned. Willem reached to touch the back of her hand gently.

"Thank you. I spend a lot of time with children after all". Virginia laughed and Elias felt the breath catch in his throat. There was no denying it. He wanted her. He loved her. He had a sudden wild vision of them, living side by side in some remote location, running through the endless forests of this world under the full moon. No, not the full moon any longer. The dark, black night awaited them now, as if the Goddess that Wolf spoke often of simply turned her face from them. Her children no longer. The darkness of his imagination seemed to seep into his soul. Virginia caught his eyes then, her laughter fading away. She shook her head ever so slightly. No, she didn't want it, nor him. Something that had taken Elias twenty years to realise, she had decided within a matter of days. Her blue eyes bored into him. _Please understand. I have so much more to lose than you ever did_. Elias closed his eyes, turning his face away, not surprised in the least that he could hear her thoughts as clearly as he'd been able to hear Hera's. He heard Virginia settle back into Wolf's arms and he stole a glance at her. She didn't even know what she'd done.

Later in the afternoon, the immense castle came into view. They'd made good time and had even picked up the straying pony Jed on the way. The cart driver went to the service entrance and the small party alighted, Wolf fishing around in his pocket for a coin to offer the man.

"Oh no, sir! Please, it was a small service to offer you and the fair lady Virginia. It's an honour enough to meet you, lady" he stammered, bending over in a bow so deep Elias thought he might topple right over. Virginia blushed scarlett as he knew she would and looked at the ground uneasily as Wolf led her away towards the carriage house. He watched while Wolf confidently organised a coach and driver to take them back to the farm. Elias was glad that they had decided not to drop in and see the King. Aside from the fact that the monarch of this Kingdom likely knew all about his exploits, Elias wanted to stay well away from the mirror room. The temptation to simply fling himself back into New York and escape this horrid mess was all too alluring. But he couldn't leave now. Virginia, although she might reject him and what he had given her, she would need him in the coming weeks. He couldn't abandon her now. He stood back as a fine coach and team were drawn up and Wolf and Virginia got into the back. Willem leaped up to hang off the footman's perch. Virginia held her hand out the window.

"Elias. Come with us"

"But why?"

"Because I think I know where to go now. We _can_ be cured" she said, motioning with her hand. _Hera has told me this_. Elias nodded, intrigued at her hidden message. Hera had told her what to do? How strange. Could it be a trap? He almost opened his mouth to speak those very things when he realised that Wolf didn't know. He couldn't know. He would never agree with taking advice from Hera. He'd wanted to destroy the crone, burn her lair to the ground, but Virginia had stopped him. The horses were fidgeting restlessly and the coach driver stared at him as if he were a bit slow. Elias moved to the back of the carriage and hopped up beside Willem. Wolf's brother steadied him with one hand as the horses started moving with a sudden lurch. Elias turned to nod thanks to the half-wolf, thinking that this member of their little group was willing to talk to him at least. But whilst Willem's smile was open enough, his eyes were narrowed.

"Hmm, don't think that I'll ever allow you to come between my brother and his mate. But, I do think I like you, Elias, which is a good thing since my heart tells me we're going to be spending a lot of time together". Elias shook his head in a mixture of puzzlement and dismay. Would there be no end to the drama's of this life? He gripped the back of the coach as it swung through the gates, willing his body and soul not to respond to the scent and sound of Virginia below him in the carriage.


	8. Chapter 8

Circle Of Sisters

8. _Off Again!_

Wolf hung his head out the window of the carriage as it drew up to the house, breathing deep the comforting smells of home. He almost felt that he knew what Virginia meant when she talked about never wanting to leave the place again. Cripes, he'd only just stepped out for a stroll in the forest he'd thought, and look where he'd ended up. Stuck in a cursed magic mirror (again!), only to watch helplessly as his sweet girl had had come and rescue him (again!). Even as the mirror's power had closed over him, he'd thought only that he'd be responsible for the death of his brother (once more, again!). Though technically, the latter was a moot point, since Willem had survived his very first accidental 'death' at the hands of Wolf. Was he destined to make the same bungles over and over in this life? But none of it was his fault, was it? That's what Virginia kept saying. She'd fallen asleep saying it, Wolf moving over to let her stretch out on the carriage seat with her head resting in his lap. He stroked her soft curls absently. At one point he lifted her top to peer down, observing her wound as he was wont to do and she'd woken a little from her doze.

"Hmm. I missed you last night. I just knew something had happened. Twig was very brave to escape and make his way to warn me, or else I could have been searching for you for weeks"

"Twig?"

"Yes, the little magic bird who followed you from the disenchanted forest. He saw you go into the Swamp Witches hut and not come out. But a black bird attacked him, he said. He was exhausted when he reached me. He's in my pocket even now" Virginia said, yawning. The tiny bright bird peeked his head out at the mention of his name. Wolf smiled and patted the feathers on his head, another piece of the puzzle falling into place. He hadn't even thought about how Virginia had found out what had happened to them.

"You're very brave, Twig. I'll make sure everyone knows it" he said to the bird. Twig bobbed his head in acknowledgement, preening just a little under the praise. Wolf watched as Virginia reached out to put the magic bird on the windowsill of the carriage and in a rush of coloured feathers, he was gone, flitting easily over the fields, on his way back to the forest with a tall tale to tell his friends. Virginia closed her eyes again and Wolf continued his inspection of the great wound on her torso. It was completely closed over now, and in the ten days since it had been inflicted, barely a scar remained to show where it had been. Not that Wolf needed a scar to remind him of it. The huge gaping tear, flooding the lounge room floor with blood was burned forever in his mind. Wolf knew it was unnatural that such an injury had healed so quickly, but Virginia had been up and about within days. Must be the werewolf working it's own dark magic on her. He forced himself to imagine what Virginia would look like when she transformed. Wolf hadn't gotten a glimpse of Elias as the monster that night, only seen the tracks of the creature and the death it wrought. Would it look anything like Virginia at all? If he stood before her on that night, would she know him? Virginia didn't think so. She had even dreamed of it. Elias had not known Virginia when he attacked her. Or had he?

Wolf shifted uncomfortably with all the unknown questions in his head. It didn't help that the cause of most of his problems rode even now on the back of the carriage. Elias' motives in the matter were a mystery, even if he had any motives at all. Maybe he did, maybe not. Wolf couldn't read the man anymore. His making his way to the Swamp Witches side and aiding her in capturing Wolf and his brother, for example. What had he hoped to gain from such a thing, especially now when his plans had fallen through? Wolf wondered what Elias and the witch had talked about. He had defended her from Virginia, Wolf had seen from the mirror trap. His solicitous behaviour and obvious attraction to Virginia had been painfully apparent. Wolf knew he really hadn't experienced true jealousy before now and he was suprised somewhat by it's vehemence. He'd thought himself above such things, secure in his relationship with his one and only life mate. He was overprotective, and quite territorial in allowing other males access to Virginia, but those things came with the being of alpha status. Wolf had not mistaken the look on Virginia's face when she and Elias had been speaking together. Without a doubt, there was interest in her expression. Wolf wondered whether he would be able to have a rational and calm discussion about it with Virginia when they were alone once more. He wished they were alone now so he could wake her and mate with her right there and then. They hadn't been intimate since the blooded moon-dark night. Virginia was recovering, in spirit and soul if not in bodily terms, and Wolf hadn't wanted to press her. She'd been so distracted. Wolf wanted to taste of her sweet lips but didn't trust himself to kiss her. He blushed at the thought of the driver and the other passengers listening in. He resolved to get her alone as soon as decently possible when they got home. He chuckled quietly at himself as the carriage continued it's swaying journey. He was wise enough about his own motivations at least, and right now he needed reassurance above all things.

Elsie was waiting patiently at the front door for them as the driver drew up the horses with a quiet word. She held Caelum securely on her hip and Wolf could see him straining to get down. Virginia seemed to shake off any earlier sleepiness almost instantly as she caught sight of their son, scrambling over Wolf's lap to get down from the seat. Wolf smiled as she reached out to enfold him. If there was one thing that he would never doubt about Virginia, it was the love she felt for her child. She was a good mother for her youth and initial inexperince, plus the fact that Caelum's conception had been unplanned (by Virginia at least), thought Wolf. He closed the distance between them, growling his gratitude to Elsie. The half-wolf woman looked him over carefully, obviously checking for any injuries she could turn her many talents to fixing up.

"No, we're all in one piece, Elsie dearest" Wolf said in response to her survey, lifting her hand to kiss it. Her expression was relieved, but then concerned as she looked over his shoulder. A sudden wariness in her posture meant that Wolf knew she had spotted Elias. Wolf heard the man jump down lightly from the back of the carriage, heard his feet crunch the gravel in a way that suggested he was very uneasy. As he should be, thought Wolf. He wondered if he should be proprietal about where the man should stay, because he didn't think he would be able to tolerate him under the same roof. But Willem had come to the same conclusion it seemed, for he drew Elias away with a few quick words, bidding him to bunk down in the woodshed. Ah yes, the woodshed was the perfect place. It's last occupant had made it quite a comfortable retreat, thought Wolf, feeling both nasty and guilty about throwing James' death in Elias' face so blatantly. Virginia looked troubled when she saw Elias and Willem go off the direction of the shed. Elsie shot Wolf a curious glance, but he just shrugged, picking up Caelum and leading them inside.

Later on in the evening, after their meal, Virginia's mood seemed much improved, and she recounted her adventures to Elsie as they cleaned up, but Wolf noticed that she didn't relay any specifics of the conversations she had had with either Elias or the Swamp Witch.

"What will you do now Virginia?" Elsie asked over the stack of dishes in the sink. Virginia tossed the drying towel over her shoulder. Wolf lay on the lounge floor with Caelum, listening as unobtrusively as he could.

"Elsie, what do you know of magic? Like, where does it come from?"

"Well, I don't know much at all really. Only old legends and stories we learnt as children. I don't think anyone really knows for sure. There are great powers in the world, spirits, deities and the like. Our Moon Goddess is but one of many. But whether they are the causes of magical things, or the results of magic, who knows?"

"Do you think that these powers, like your Goddess, are they either good or bad, or both?"

"Neither. They are themselves only. Good and bad, kindness and evilness, those are the traits of mortal beings. I think the Goddess, and She is _yours_ now too, Virginia, whether you will it or not, I think She is a neutral. But Her actions, if any, well, we either interpret them as good or ill, depending on our circumstances. But I could be talking out my tail of course. What do I know of the will of Goddesses? I've never seen Her, though many have, it is said"

"I have seen Her. Or at least I think so" Virginia replied thoughtfully. Wolf's skin prickled. Virginia had seen the Goddess? When and where and why hadn't she told him about it? The tone of Elsie's voice told him that she was suitably impressed.

"You have? Well then you're doubly blessed Virginia. But I don't envy you. I think I'd run away like a new cub!"

"She wasn't frightening. She was, very beautiful. She didn't speak to me" Virginia said softly. Wolf was rapt in spite of his hearing of this little encounter for the very first time. The plates and dishes clinked together as Virginia stacked them in the cupboard. She was back to her usual practical self within moments. Wolf marvelled at how she could go from announcing divine revelations one minute, to making plans for the next day. He supposed it must be a female thing.

"Elsie, we'll be going to Little Lamb Village in the morning. You're more than welcome to join us, but I'm going to leave Caelum at the palace with my father and Wendell. I can't take him with us, and I can't ask you to mind him again. You've done so much already, you must be wanting to get back to your husband"

"Ahh, shush, he can look after his own self quite well without me. Probably been out running around and making mischief like he's a new fanged teenager more likely. And don't think for a minute that I haven't enjoyed looking after your cub. Mine are all grown and gone, and no grandcubs for me yet! Tell you what, why don't I come with you to the palace tomorrow and I'll stay on with the cub till you're back. I mean, I'm sure your father's capable and all..." Elsie replied, suddenly being cut off in a way that Wolf knew she'd been hugged by Virginia.

"Oh thank you, thank you. You mean so much to me Elsie. I never really knew my mother..."

"I know, I know. Now, stop your fussing and go to your _mate_ tonight. He _needs_ you". Wolf bit back a chuckle at Elsie's none too subtle hints. He could well imagine Virginia's expression at the typical directness of half-wolf behaviour. As he had told Virginia on many occasions, there was little that went on in a half-wolf household that wasn't known or discussed. But he was quietly glad that Elsie had put Virginia in the right frame of mind anyway. Not that she'd needed much encouragement as it turned out.

Later, he relaxed in Virginia's arms, loving the warm and sweaty scent of her, feeling the muscles in her back and shoulders becoming loose and pliant under his touch. The pale gleam of moonlight illuminated her curves and picked out the points of light in her blue eyes. Eyes that glimmered with tears. Wolf let her sleep.

In the morning, he was alone in the room. Seized with a sudden panic, he sat bolt upright. Downstairs, her voice floated as she sung a simple nursery rhyme.

"Baa baa, black sheep, have you any wool?". Caelum sat attentive on her lap in the garden as Wolf peered out the window. Virginia seemed to glow under the dawn sun as she laughed and waved back up at him. Wolf thought she looked secretly pleased that she had managed to slip out of his embrace without even waking him.

"Sleepy head. Come on, we're all packed and ready almost!" she called up to him teasingly. Wolf saw that Willem had hitched up the cart and Elsie was stowing various cubbish things in the back. Feeling slightly foolish for having slept so long and so deeply, Wolf left the windowsill to throw on some clothes and tidy his appearance in the mirror. Well, he didn't look as tired as he had been at least, despite his vigour of the night before, he thought with a smile. The bedroom was still flooded with the scents. And now his darling Virginia was insisting on dragging Willem and Elias along with them on the trip to Little Lamb Village. Why that place then? Aside from it's corrupt villagers and their willingness to throw justice out the window in favour of a firey execution, Lamb Village was no different from the many others Wolf had passed though, or raided in the dead of night. Or so it seemed to him. Maybe Virginia had seen something else. Hadn't she mentioned a well? Surely she wasn't hoping that jumping down a well would cure her and Elias? From what Wolf knew of wishing wells, they were mostly populated with pesky fairies passing themselves off as genuine magical waters. He sighed and clattered down the stairs, swiping a bacon sandwich from the lunch basket. Elias came out of the spare room, a long dark cloak in his hand.

"That's mine" Wolf said curtly, glancing at the cloak. Elias looked suitably mortified.

"I, ah, Virginia said to fetch it, for myself I mean" Elias choked out, gesturing helplessly at his threadbare rags. Wolf let his eyes flash red for an instant. Of course, Virginia would think of things like that. And Wolf had stolen the cloak in the first place. He stepped forward a pace and nodded to the garment.

"Take it then. And get some boots as well. But don't forget, Elias. They belong to me" he said with as much quiet menace as he could. He looked deeply into the man's eyes, seeing the understanding there. There was no mistake on Elias' part. For today anyway. Satisfied, Wolf left the werewolf standing in the corridor. Outside, there was a crispness to the air that hinted at the coming cool seasons. Virginia had filled a pack for each of them and it comforted Wolf to see that they were quite small. That meant she wasn't planning on them staying away for too long. It was an odd situation, given that Virginia was taking charge in the way he often did. Her calm competence as she supervised the preparations were a change in her that had nothing to do with being a werewolf, he realised with a strange pride in her accomplishments. So, this time, he would follow her lead, let her make the decisions, be her support and protection as she strove to alter her destiny yet again.


	9. Chapter 9

Circle Of Sisters

9. _Wendell's Questions_

The farm cart drawn by the swaybacked old pony was becoming a familiar sight at the Castle White. Some court lackeys thought it a dreadful disgrace that such important folk continued to travel in such a manner, when surely they knew that they could have the finest carriages and horses for the asking. Others, those either jealous or disproving, felt that the human and half-wolf couple arrived in precisely the right style. Virginia knew that these types of people dwelt within the castle but she rarely let their predjudices upset her. Still, she was glad that she and Wolf had status enough, thanks to Wendell fawning over them at every opportunity, to at least silence the detractors in public. She always took careful note of who came forward to greet them when they came to the castle. Wendell might believe that all his retainers and hangers-on shared his views and opinions, but Virginia was not decieved. She didn't actually think that anyone at the castle could be construed as an 'enemy', but as they alighted into the usual crowd of smiles and well wishers, she held Caelum close to her. She and Wolf could look after themselves for the most part, but he was so little, so vulnerable, even if he could already catch and kill his own chicken dinner. Caelum had been to the castle rarely and Virginia could sense his sudden interest. He sniffed and nodded in the way that she had come to know as his scenting of someone familiar and all at once Wendell appeared from the cloud of nobility.

"Virginia! Wolf! What a nice surprise! And shame on you for not stopping to see me yesterday! What have you two been up to? The guards told me you arrived in the back of a cheese merchant's wagon. Of course, it's no problem that you commandeered one of my carriages. Anything I have is yours, as I said" Wendell said in his typical cross between being royally pompous and giddy with schoolboy excitement. Virginia wondered how much she should tell him. He didn't even know what she had become. The well meaning crowd would dissipate in a flash if they guessed the truth. She fidgeted a little, sure for a moment that her nascent condition would betray itself in a very public and embarassing way. But Wendell continued beaming at her. Virginia glanced for Wolf, seeing him standing back in a way which was very unlike him. He usually did all the talking, but he just smiled his gorgeous smile at her now, indicating with a tilt of his head that he was leaving things for her to deal with. Great. Virginia worried at his sudden deference to her. She knew she didn't feel as confident as she looked. There was a quick bustle of the crowd and Caelum squeaked in the wolf tongue. Tony came bounding down the steps to greet them.

"Honey, are you up to visiting so soon? We could have come to you much easier you know" he said, kissing her cheek. Virginia thought he looked so concerned he was about to pick her up there and then. He glanced to Wolf with a slight frown on his face. "You should have kept her at home, she shouldn't be here, visiting or doing whatever you were doing yesterday". Virginia sighed loudly before Wolf could shoot back with one of his biting remarks, but she was angry at her father's attitude.

"Dad, lets take this somewhere else" she said firmly, seeing the avid attention of the crowd gossips. Wendell came down to take her arm and escort her up the stairs. Within minutes they were in one of the castle's endless array of sitting rooms. Servants appeared from all sides, bringing drinks and an early lunch. Virginia saw that Wolf had shrugged off his irritation at Tony's questioning of his care and she gave Caelum into his arms so that they could ravage the newly laid lunch table. Wendell drew Virginia aside before Tony could bail her up again. Virginia saw that his earnest blue eyes were tinged with worry and mentally braced herself for another barrage of doubts. But the young King surprised her.

"You're on another mission aren't you?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Well, yes, you have that look on your face. That 'no nonsense, get out of my way look'. What's happened to you Virginia, that you need to trouble your life again? Will you not confide in me as I once confided in you?". Virginia met his gaze openly, yet the truth that lay on the tip of her tongue refused to slip out. Wendell held her in the highest regard, she knew. He lifted his admiration and respect for her so high that she couldn't bring herself to topple the pedestal he had put her on. But how easy would it be to just run to the highest tower and shout to the world? _I am a monster_. How would Wendell look upon her then? Probably with the very same expression that he used even now as she felt Elias come up behind her from whatever dark corner he'd hidden himself. Wendell's face went blank in an attempt not to betray the fear he must have felt at seeing the werewolf.

"It's about _him_, isn't it? You're still searching for some sort of a cure for this man. Surely you must realise that the magic failed, and look at what happened as a result. You would put yourself, and my subjects, in further danger? Let me take this creature, lock it up in the strongest dungeon where it can't hurt anyone again. Please Virginia, don't take it with you wherever you're going. I don't trust it, I don't like it. It, repulses me"

"And do I?" Virginia asked, unable to help herself.

"What?"

"Repulse you?"

"No, of course not. How could you think such a thing of me? I love you. We're family Virginia, and I don't care how much Wolf growls at me about it" Wendell replied earnestly. Virginia very nearly breathed a sigh of relief. So, he didn't suspect, but then why would he? The legend of the werewolf and what became of it's marked victims had never been told in this land. So why hadn't her father put two and two together? Had anyone ever mentioned to him that the stranger she and Wolf had brought back from New York had been a lycanthrope? Obviously not, for his concern for her was over her initial injuries, no more. Perhaps the facts had been overlooked, or forgotten, in the shock and panic of the attack. She let her gaze wander of it's own accord to Elias where he stood close by. His eyes bored into hers. _I won't tell_. Virginia blinked, unsure if she really had just heard his thoughts. Wendell still needed an answer though.

"Wendell, I had a dream. Someone came to me and told me where a real cure might be found, for Elias. I know how you feel, I understand it. But look at him, Wendell. He's a man first and foremost. A good man. He has no control over his actions when he runs as a wolf, not like the half-wolf's can if they really want to. I don't blame him for what happened and I can't leave this chance untested just out of fear"

"But he can do the right thing, right now. Lock himself up and stay there, so that he is no danger to anyone. What happens in less than three weeks time, Virginia, if he is still at liberty in my Kingdom?"

"He won't be"

"But you can't guarantee this"

"No. But, Wendell, can I tell you a secret, just between ourselves, on how your soldiers might slay the monster?" Virginia said in a whisper, leaning forward.

"There is a way?"

"Yes. Silver will do it. In a crossbow bolt would be the best, but an ordinary arrow would probably suffice. But don't tell the soldiers, just make sure each carries a silver tipped weapon on the next new moon. Then, if all has failed, and _any _monster of wolf-like manner crosses their path, let them use these weapons and it will surely slay the creature"

"How do you know this, Virginia?"

"It's always been a part of the legend, and if 9th Kingdom stories can be made real in my world, then it must work the same in reverse" Virginia answered, still whispering despite the fact that Elias could probably hear every word. She just hoped Wolf was too engrossed in his lunch to overhear her plans to protect the 9 Kingdoms from herself should Hera's secrets lead her astray. She watched as Wendell absorbed her fractured truths, breathing in relief when he finally nodded.

"Very well Virginia. I'll do as you say and tell no-one. But you haven't told me everything, not by a long way, I know" he replied finally. Virginia could see that he was still far from happy but she silently praised his gentlemanly discretion. He was taking a big risk on her behalf she realised. She hoped she wouldn't let him down. She looked askance at Elias, but his expression was unreadable. Over at the table, Wolf was glowering once more at Elias, and Caelum, held in the crook of his arm, had on his face a small imitation of his father's expression. Wendell stirred a little at the underlying tensions in the room.

"What do you need Virginia?"

"Ah, some horses would be great. Plus, if you would let Caelum stay a while with Tony. Elsie will stay on as well, to look after him. I'd like to leave this afternoon if possible. As you say, we have not much time to chase down this lead"

"Very well, I'll organise it. I don't suppose you'll agree to an honour guard or escort?"

"No Wendell, but thank you"

"No spoiled and bored young King either?" he asked, putting on a fake simpering smile. Virginia laughed and hugged him impulsively. He felt awkward in her embrace, like one not used to being held.

"Ah, no. You've done enough for us, risked enough. Besides, if you tag along, then my father will surely want to come, and half the court as well just to see what you're up to"

"Very well then. Will you at least tell me where you're going?"

"Firstly, to Little Lamb Village, then, who knows?"

"That place? That'll make Wolf happy. It'd be worth coming just to see the expression on the Peep's faces when he comes riding back into town!"

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Within a few hours of arriving, the small party of Wolf, Willem, Virginia and Elias were ready once more to depart. They stood idly in one of the small courtyards outside the stables, waiting and watching as the four fine steeds that Wendell had picked out were saddled. Virginia went forward to make friends with the smallish red-brown mare she had been given.

"'Er name's Apple, miss" said the groomsman as he readied the bridle and took Virginia's small pack to stow in the saddlebags. Virginia stroked Apple's velvety nose. She'd always loved horses, even learning to ride one summer when her Grandmother had paid for Virginia to attend one of those upper-class school camps. She looked over the horse's back to see Wolf and Willem already mounted. Wolf sat somewhat uneasily, not used to riding, but Willem seemed quite at ease on his gray gelding. Both the half-wolf's steeds looked decidedly put out at having to carry one of their natural predators. She saw old Jed looking over the door of his stall and Virginia fancied that he was probably laughing at his taller, finer cousins at their equine indignity. Virginia heard the crunch of boots behind her and turned to see her father. He held Apple's head and he surveyed his daughter with narrowed eyes.

"You're determined not to tell me anything, aren't you?"

"Dad, please..."

"Oh, don't start making excuses. I know I'm just an old fuddy duddy to you. I know, you're a grown woman, make your own decisions and all that. But you're just refusing to explain, well, that just makes things seem worse to me"

"You'd prefer if I lied, made something up?"

"No, not that, it's just..."

"Then you'll just have to trust me. If all goes well, and it will, I'll tell you everything, I promise. We won't be gone long, and I need you to stay here with Caelum. And yes, I am 'up to it'. Please don't make it hard for me Dad. You know I love you" Virginia said, wanting to reassure her father but maintain her illusion that nothing was truly wrong. He hadn't fallen for it, just as she knew he wouldn't. Virginia tried to imagine how the truth would sound. _Dad, I'm infected with a deadly disease and the witch who corrupted my mother has told me how to remove it. Oh, and by the way, Elias is a werewolf, and so am I. _Virginia almost giggled out loud at what her father's reaction would be. He stood, fingering the reins as she went to mount up. When she was safely seated he went to stand at the stirrup but he did not speak. Not that he needed to. Virginia knew she had hurt him with her silence. Elsie came forward with Caelum and Virginia bent down to take him into her arms. But where she had been able to maintain her calm exterior with Wendell and Tony, this was not the case with her son. She wept quietly into his curls while he buried his little fists into her shirt front.

"Mama, mama...hurt" he gurgled in his infants' voice. Virginia held him up close to whisper in his shell like ear.

"Yes, my little son. Mama hurts. Mama will be back soon, and Dadda too, and Uncle Will. You stay with Papa now and Auntie Elsie. Be good, Caelum. I love you so much". Virginia gently disentangled his hands from her shirt to hand him back to Elsie, quietly wondering how she could ever leave him again. She wiped her tears away and clucked to her mare, seeing Wolf coax his black horse forward to scoop up his son and speak to him in the wolf tongue. When he'd finished and handed the baby back she saw that he too dashed tears away. Tony snorted behind her.

"Hah, I remember your mother shedding tears over leaving you, just to go shopping! When you where very little Virginia"

"Thanks Dad"

"You're welcome. Good luck then" he said softly before turning away. Virginia resisted the urge to call after him. _Dad, don't you know, that if I turn into this monster, and Wolf refuses to leave me, you'll be the only family Caelum will have left? _She held her tongue, simultaneously forcing herself to face an unpleasant reality and chiding her lack of faith in happily ever after coming true for her family. Virginia straightened in the saddle and with a gentle nudge of her heels Apple moved off smoothly. Wolf and his horse fell in behind her, then Elias on his bay mare. Willem brought up the rear. Virginia looked briefly at the small map in her pocket showing the outlying villages of the 4th Kingdom. They would travel by a more direct route than the first time she had come to the village. No stepping off the road this time, no dallying with gypsies, tramps or thieves. Straight there, and straight back again. Virginia looked back over her shoulder to see the fluttering pennants atop the castle towers disappear from view as the road went behind a small rise. _Come to us_. The strange voice fluttered on the edge of her hearing. Virginia shivered and drew her cloak close.


	10. Chapter 10

Circle Of Sisters

10. _Edge Of The Forest_

Elias let the natural swaying motions of the horse calm his mind as the party travelled at any easy pace down the wide and well kept roads. On both sides of the packed dirt roads lay open and ordered farmland with neat hedges or stone brick walls bissecting the fields. If he allowed himself a moment of forgetfulness, Elias could almost imagine he rode though any small European countryside. Stout brick farm houses with thatched roofs, yards with chickens and pigs browsing, paddocks of fat lambs and goats. The order and regularity of the landscape soothed his darting thoughts. If he could only blot out those very obvious features of the land that told him in no uncertain terms that he was definately not in his own world. The sparkle of wings high in the sky as as group of elves passed over them, hearing their bell like voices as they sang. The fluttering movements of fairies in the hedgerows. The fox that crossed their path, gazing upon them with all too knowing eyes. The long gray tail of a half-wolf hanging out of trousers to annoy the horse in front of his own. Wolf had obviously decided that saddles had not been designed with half-wolf's in mind, so he had quickly pulled his tail out of his breeches. It hung now down the side of his black mount and Elias could see the angry swishing of the horse's tail as it tried to swat the irritating thing away.

Almost as if he knew he was being observed, Wolf turned around in his saddle now to peer back down the road. Elias saw his eyes narrow as his gaze roved over himself, but he was careful to keep his own expression decidedly neutral. Once Wolf had returned his attention back to the road ahead, Elias once more watched Virginia as she rode. She was a competent rider, guiding the horse with ease. She sat with straight back and shoulders, having shaken off the tears shed when she'd had to leave her child behind. It had distrurbed Elias, to see those tears and know the level of sadness he had dealt her then. The King, standing back as they had departed, had given him a cold stare, and so had the baby and the woman who held him. Everyone was against him it seemed. He could understand their enmity, but it only contributed to his rising anger. Why couldn't they see that he was as much a victim as they were? Lock him up in a dungeon, was that the only response possible?

Only the sweet Virginia had defended him. She knew all about what he was feeling, because she alone had the unique perspective of being what he was. What _they_ were. He watched as she turned her head at some distant sound and felt her as she marvelled quietly at her new skills. The strange thing was, Wolf, riding close behind his mate, also nodded as if in recognition, like he was pleased. So, he was not repulsed by his new Virginia. Elias wondered if he'd told her this. For such a close couple, they sure kept things to themselves sometimes. Wolf had not the slightest idea that they were even now following a clue trail given them by Hera, whom Elias knew that Wolf regarded as evil and dangerous. Elias toyed with the idea of telling Wolf all about it, just to see the friction it would cause. But he had given his word to Virginia. Besides, Elias himself didn't have the faintest idea about where they were going. No one had bothered to explain to him, and he hadn't heard any of the conversation between Virginia and Hera in the crypt, only that Virginia had emerged unscathed with Wolf in tow. Virginia had a certain air of hope about her that day and she had been quite firm in her words to Wolf. We go to Little Lamb Village. Elias hadn't missed the uncomfortable expression on Wolf's face when he'd heard that. Little Lamb Village certainly didn't sound too scary a place, but then things were often deceptive in this land.

The group of riders came to a crossroad as the afternoon sun began to slant over the fields. Virginia chose to turn right and Elias realised that they would be passing through the massive disenchanted forest. Wolf's domain. He was it's Warden, it's guardian and spokesperson. Elias felt a moments unease. Virginia might be able to keep Wolf from hurting him, but what about the multitude of wolf-friends that dwelt within the forest? Well, it seemed he would find out tomorrow, because Virginia was guiding her horse off the road and towards a stand of trees.

"This looks like a nice spot to camp, do you think?" she asked aloud, mostly to herself as she dismounted. Elias slid off the back of his weary horse and reached to unbuckle the bridle and other tack. Wendell had supplied the party with small tents and other camping supplies, as well as several bags with various foodstuffs that would probably be considered luxurious by anyones standards. Willem came forward to take the horses to water at a nearby pool. As the others unpacked he tethered them to graze close by and gave them grain in nosebags. Elias grinned in spite of his worries to see the halting awkwardness of everyone's movements. Being a good rider didn't mean that one escaped that particular sensation of having spent a day in the saddle. He stretched his back, hearing the ligaments pop and crackle. He winced slightly at the pulling in his shoulder from the axe wound. Virginia noticed his discomfort and waved him over to where she and Wolf had pitched their tent.

"How do you feel Elias? It's been a long day in the saddle, and probably longer tomorrow. You were wounded also, and I haven't even asked you if you were fit to ride" she asked, her blue eyes troubled. Elias almost wept at the warmth in her voice.

"I'm well enough. Don't trouble yourself Virginia. We heal well, and swiftly, as you must have figured out by now. Besides, it's been remiss of me not enquire after your own health. I don't even know the extent of what the werewolf did to you, or what happened after"

"No, of course you wouldn't know, but to tell you the truth, I remember little of it myself. Wolf and Willem, they were there the whole time, they'll be able to describe it better than I"

"Oh, I don't think they'd want to speak that much with me now..." Elias trailed off, seeing Wolf approaching with a bundle of wood under his arm. The half-wolf scowled at seeing Elias so near Virginia, but she put up a hand to forestall his rising anger.

"Wolf love, later tonight will you tell Elias what happened that night, after he left me? He needs to know" Virginia asked him calmly, taking the wood and adding it to the pile Willem had already collected. Elias saw that Wolf visibly restrained himself and marvelled at Virginia's control of him. Wolf smiled, a brittle thing, but a smile nonetheless. He nodded curtly before drawing her away to whisper in her ear.

"Collect wood? With you, right now? Well, of course..." Virginia whispered back with a stifled giggle as she darted away towards the outlying stands of trees that bordered the forest. They were gone for quite a while, and it was fully dark before they returned to the campfire. Willem had caught and cooked several rabbits to add to the pile of delicacies that Wendell had provided. There was little small talk as they ate. Afterwards, Virginia curled up beside Wolf to lay her head on his lap. Elias was almost mesmerized by the gentle touch of Wolf as he stroked her hair idly. Soft brown hair that would be replaced by the coarse hair of the beast wolf under the next new moon. Elias had no doubts that she would transform at that time, as would he. The rising moon on this night was a few nights from full, but his blood did not sing with it's waxing power as it had always done. He shivered and hunched closer to the fire.

"Cold, Elias?" It was Wolf speaking now, his hands still moving back and forth through Virginia's hair.

"No, not that sort of cold"

"Virginia, she was, _so cold _that night. When I first came upon her, I was sure she was dead..." Wolf continued, his gaze unfocussed as he stared into the hot coals. Elias sat as still as death, listening with a growing sense of both horror, and awe, as Wolf told the story of what he had done to save his mate's life. He felt the blood drain from his face as Wolf described in vivid detail the great wound, the blood all over the floor, the silent cub under the table, his mad dash through the streets of New York to find the doctor who could do what no-one in the Kingdoms would even try. The hours later when Virginia's life hung by the slenderest of threads, finding James' broken body in the ditch, all of it Wolf spilled out, his voice sometimes quavering with fear, sometimes anger, then obvious pride at her survival. Elias was struck silent by the recount. He had known some facts, like James' death, but to hear it all put together and told by someone who had been so caught up in the fear and grief of the event made him quail within his own skin. So close, so close to death she had come. His raging, ravening beast had done all this. No, not you. Oh yes, it was. He put his hands up to his temples, trying to blot out the endless repetition. Across the fire he saw Virginia rub absently at her own forehead, as if she heard his very thoughts.

"I've said this before Elias, but I don't blame you for what happened. No-one who knows you, who has spent time with you, hunted with you, can say they blame you" Virginia said finally and Elias realised that she was speaking for Wolf's benefit as well as his own. "But we're in this together, and we have to work together, as friends with a common problem will. I don't want any fighting behind my back to worry about. I need to concentrate on the road ahead. This is a challenge, for me, for us all. I don't know why I've been singled out again, but I'm not going to sit around trying to avoid it, not like I did last time"

"But it all worked out in the end Virginia, just like it was meant to. Even your mother's death. You're acting any sooner, or later, might have changed events enormously, and maybe not for the better" Wolf said, stroking her cheek. Virginia sighed and reached to put an arm around his back.

"But how can we ever know what was intended? How I can know if maybe this becoming a werewolf was meant to happen to me?"

"No, beloved. You _knew_, even as your mother lay dying, that you'd done the right thing, and so did all the world. It's what good does, it vanquishes evil, at whatever cost to itself"

"But I cannot see the werewolf as an evil thing. I just can't. It has no motive, no self awareness. It just is. And yet my heart tells me that it wasn't meant for me"

"Just as your heart knew that your mother really did love you" Wolf replied quietly. Virginia frowned but lay silent, thinking. Elias stirred as the fire threw out a small ember in his direction. Overhead, the moon swung, peering down on them with it's silvery rays.

"Virginia, where do we go tomorrow?" he asked.

"To Little Lamb Village, which is much like any other village in this part of the world, except for one particular Well, a Well which we accidently helped restore, by the way. I wish to visit the Well, and speak to whoever dwells there"

"And toss in a coin or two?" Willem cut in with one of his wide grins. Virginia smiled back broadly at him.

"Ah, no. I have a feeling that only a personal visit will suffice. It's no small thing we ask for, after all!" she replied. Elias was pleased that some of her earlier upbeat attitude had returned. But Wolf's brow crinkled as he tried to make sense of what she meant.

"Virginia honey, how do you know if this will work? I mean, what made you think of trying the Well at all? I can't see how the magic in those waters will be any more successful than that worked by the witch. I don't mean to put doubts in your mind, but there are many such wells scattered over the Kingdoms and not all of them work as well as their 'wishers' would like. Your problem is a lot more complex than turning out pink sheep on request" he said. Elias saw that he was trying to keep his comments light, but Virginia still paused long enough for it to appear she was giving his ideas some thought.

"You're right. I don't know for sure. Maybe the Well is only the starting point" Virginia replied eventually, yawning widely. "I'm going to turn in. Hopefully we can get an early start and arrive in the village by late afternoon". Wolf stood and reached down to lift her into his arms. Despite his new found understanding and tacit truce with Wolf, Elias still felt a twinge of jealously as he watched the two of them enter their tent together. A part of him, deeply hidden still, wanted to rip the tent to shreds and claim her for his own. My own kind. He sighed and turned to settle into his bedroll, noting that Willem had set up his own space quite a way from everyone else, out of earshot of the soft sounds of passion coming from the lover's tent. Elias closed his eyes, but it was a long time before he slept that night.

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The pennants hung limp in the night air. Wendell could see them if he leaned out far enough from his window. He was very tempted all of a sudden to see if he could reach the high battlements, following the secret pathway of ledges and cracked shingles like he had as a small boy. He'd given his ever present nursemaids the slip on many occasions doing just that. Well, all except for her. Nanny Christine had slept with one eye open at all hours of the night, he had soon learned. Now, a grown man and King, he no longer needed servants to bunk down in his room. His royal suite was guarded at night, of course, but only his own breaths and heartbeat disturbed his sleep. Like tonight.

He stared off into the distance. Everything was a night blurred black, white and grey. A small movement in the shrubbery below his window caught his attention. Wendell swung the multipaned glass outwards, leaning over to peer down. The hedge below parted and a small head appeared. From above, Wendell could make out the dark messy hair and striped pyjamas. The little figure swung it's head back and forth as if snuffing the air. Wendell smiled and whistled a low tone, causing the garden interloper to freeze. Wendell turned and gathered up his terribly fashionable nightrobe, belting it about himself as he scurried down the palace corridors, two sleepy guards in his wake. Out in the gardens, he was able to locate his window. The little visitor, obviously knowing itself to be discovered, was still where he had last seen it. Caelum squeaked in contrition (and a touch of annoyance, thought Wendell) when he was lifted up and out of the hedge. The baby dangled from his pyjama straps as Wendell fixed him with his most cross expression, which, when he practised it in the mirror, wasn't all that menacing to see.

"You shouldn't be out wandering at this time of night, Caelum. What are you doing anyway?" he said firmly. He had no idea of whether the cub could understand him or not, but evidently the boy knew the gist of his questions. He lifted one pudgy finger and pointed out over the fields towards the disenchanted forest.

"Mama, dadda, home". The boy's voice was garbled, but Wendell heard the sentiment in them. He drew the cub in close, smoothing back his curls.

"No, Caelum, they're not at home. They've gone away" he said in the boy's ear, feeling a sudden pang of discontent himself. Caelum whined and sniffled and Wendell felt like joining him. But it wouldn't do to have the King of the Realm standing about weeping in his nightshirt. He was lonely, he realised. He'd never really noticed it before today. Not until his friends, who had none of the endless humdrum of responsibilty had ridden off on another adventure. But then he corrected himself slightly, looking at the small boy pining for his parents. They had the most important responsibility of all, right here. And yet they had left it behind. It must be a terribly important mission to cause them to leave their child. Wendell had not missed the pain on Virginia's face. There had been something different about her though. Wendell had never felt intimidated by Virginia before, yet her presence in the state room today had been formidable. Part of him had recoiled from it. Worst of all was the fact that Virginia had not the slightest notion that she had had that influence on him. All she'd asked for was a couple of horses, yet Wendell had the uncomfortable feeling that if she'd only extended it to ask for his whole Kingdom and Castle, he'd have been hard pressed not to give it to her. It reminded him of how his new step-mother had once manipulated her way into complete power.

The air had suddenly grown chill around him. He toted the cub back up the stairs, handing him over to a very relieved looking Elsie who had obviously just woken and found the boy missing. Returning to his now cold bed, he stared at the ceiling for a long time. Virginia had come into some power. It had shone out of her face and form like a beacon. The man Elias had something to do with what had happened to her. Maybe tomorrow, he would try and find a moment to talk to Tony about it.


	11. Chapter 11

Circle Of Sisters

11. _The Forest Lady_

Apple trotted calmly through the disenchanted forest and Virginia silently praised the horse for keeping her head. Behind them on the forest road, various woodland folk kept pace with the party. They remained hidden for the most part and little movement of undergrowth or branch betrayed their presence. Virginia shifted in the saddle to look back at Elias as he rode some dozen feet behind her and Wolf. His face was grim, his mouth a flat determined line as he bore the attention of the followers. As she watched, Virginia saw yet another pine cone come flying out of an overhanging tree. It was aimed well, but Elias saw it coming just in time to dodge his head, but his horse snorted in fear as the cone whacked on it's rump. Virginia sighed in annoyance, getting Wolf's attention.

"Wolf, can you speak to them again?"

"I've tried love. You know I have. But I'm just the Warden here, not their master. They don't answer to me and they know it. We're nearly through, just a few miles more" Wolf replied, a little louder than usual so that the beseiged Elias would hear it.

"Would it work if I spoke to them? He doesn't deserve this Wolf"

"They're afraid, Virginia. They saw what happened, his transformation, and those that didn't have probably learnt of it from hearing the typical exaggerated tales. But they know he's not part of this world. He's like an introduced species that they have no defenses against"

"I know, I know. But it's not fair that he bear the brunt of it when I..."

"Hush! Don't say such things, not here!" Wolf cut her off, waving his hand in her direction to silence what she was about to say. Well, he was probably right to do so, thought Virginia unhappily. If they knew that the werewolf had propogated itself already, and that she herself was it's newest offspring, she could well imagine the response. And they were afraid, she could hear it in the frightened whispers as they rode. _Look there, it's the monster-wolf! Run and hide, get the children. Drive it away, make it go! No, don't provoke it, fools! It can change into the monster at any time_. Virginia continued forward with a heavy heart. She had come to think of the forest as a friendly place, her status as the mate of the Warden giving her special unhindered access. Now, it was full of eyes, peering at her in close suspicion. How could they not see what she was? She startled as a small forest brownie dropped out of an overhanging branch to land on Apple's forelock. It was a rarely seen creature, dressed in twigs and leaves and standing just a few inches high. It hopped up and down, speaking in it's high-pitched voice. Virginia had to shake her head at it solemnly. She didn't understand brownie speech, but the voice itself was so high it was hurting her newly enhanced ears.

"It wants to know why we ride with the monster-wolf" said Wolf's deep rumbling voice as he nudged his horse closer to Apple. Virginia turned to smile her thanks, before leaning forward to speak to the brownie.

"We're taking it away. To make it safe" she said. It nodded it's tiny leaf hat at her as if it understood but then it responded with another ear-splitting round of speech. It worked it's way down Apple's mane before dropping to the ground and disappearing down a small hole there. She blinked then and the hole and all traces of it had vanished.

"What did it say?" she asked Wolf. He blushed a little as he answered.

"Ah, you probably don't want to know dearest. He, ah, lets just say he doubts our intelligence, even for giants like us". Virginia laughed suddenly as the absurdity of the whole situation hit her. Wolf joined her, and back down the trail, even Elias chuckled grimly and Willem beamed as he had all along. Virginia halted her horse to allow Elias and Will to catch up.

"Elias, I am sorry, truly. I had expected there to be some reaction, but I didn't think it would be like this"

"You have nothing to appologise for Virginia. They fear me, and rightly so. I'm used to it. Even in the wilderness where I lived in Canada I was an outcast amongst the creatures of the natural world"

"But they didn't throw things at you, or call you nasty names"

"True. But, I did go to Kindergarten as a child"

"Oh, yes, I remember Kindergarten! Don't we all?" Virginia replied, pleased to see that even Wolf was nodding along to the conversation instead of scowling as he had been doing whenever Elias had spoken. Willem smiled broadly at his brother.

"Yes, well, if we ever end up in the Second Kingdom we'll all understand what name calling is about" he said.

"Really, why?" Virginia asked, curious.

"Well, in the north especially, which is where the Red sits on the throne, wolf's usually dare not ride so openly. And you, Virginia, would be as much maligned for keeping company with us. Some parts of that Kingdom even I would not go, and I'm as quick and wily as any fox"

"And yet the Second Kingdom is the traditional homeland of wolfs and half-wolfs, as I understand it. Why do your people submit to such autocratic and unfair rule?" Virginia continued. She had met the 'Red' Queen of the northern second realm, at the ceremony honouring the newest heroes of the Kingdoms. Well, if one could call a bare nod of acknowledgement as having met someone. Virginia had thought the woman looked troubled at the time, but the scarlett dressed queen had left the palace within hours and Virginia had given little thought to her since. Willem shrugged in response to her question, but Wolf answered in his stead.

"It's because we're such a scattered people. We form our loose knit communities, but we have no leaders amongst ourselves. Certainly we have our status as alpha's and the like, but the idea of one single wolf ruling over all the others and deciding their fates, this is an unknown concept to us. And so we don't understand how the human system works and they can take advantage of that. As they have in the Second Kingdom. Besides, we're always the bad guys and most of us would have to admit that we all take advantage of that!" Wolf chortled as he spoke the last part. Virginia smiled to see him relaxed once more and hoped it would continue. And she wanted to know more about wolf-human relations in other parts of the Kingdoms. But Wolf was looking ahead, down the trail now and Virginia heard him hiss in that soft way he had when he was surprised. She glanced over to where he had focussed his attention and saw on the very edge of the trees a strangely familiar figure.

The old crone, the beggar woman who they had met in the forest more than a year ago, held up her hand as they approached. Virginia studied her closely as she drew near. On their first encounter, Virginia had later guessed her to be none other than Snow White herself, taking a guise to help her onto the right path. The old woman's crinkled eyes were firmly fixed on Virginia now, as if the others had been dismissed from her mind. _Yes, my sister_. Virginia found her voice, reaching out to touch Wolf.

"Take the others ahead a little ways Wolf. I'll catch up with you". Virginia fully expected him to protest, but to her surprise he just nodded meekly and led the others away up the trail. But he stayed within sight and sound of her. Virginia noticed that the trees were thinning out. Soon, they would be leaving the forest and arriving at the Little Lamb Village. She swung her leg over the saddle to slip lightly to the ground in front of the beggar woman. She thought momentarily about searching through her saddlebags for some food for the woman, but stopped herself. This lady was not begging today.

"Where are you headed this day, young woman?"

"We are bound for the Little Lamb Village" Virginia answered truthfully, wondering what sort of lesson the old crone might offer her today. The lesson of the three sticks had been lost on Virginia until well after events had passed. In hindsight, it had become clear. The sticks represented Virginia, Tony and Wolf, who when together were unbreakable, despite being easily snapped when apart. It had been an unusual lesson to have received, thought Virginia with sudden clarity. After all, had not Snow White urged her to go on and make things happen by herself? To step out from under the protection of Wolf and Tony and affect things? The crone stood patiently whilst Virginia mused.

"This village, is it your destination, or the beginning?"

"I don't know"

"You don't?" the crone asked, wrinkled face peering from under her hood. Virginia knew what the crone meant though. Her heart ached suddenly with distress.

"You ache for your child, don't you? What mother would not? But you would do anything to protect her, wouldn't you? You know that you cannot now live with your child in safety and so you seek to return to yourself" the crone spoke in an oddly lilting voice. Virginia felt her thoughts grow cloudy for a moment before clearing like disturbed pond water.

"Am I on the right path, sister?" she asked, although she knew the answer already.

"You know that you are. Here, take this" the crone said, offering Virginia the thin outer branch of a nearby sapling. Virginia twined it between her fingers. "Now, bend the stick as far as it will go" the old woman instructed. Virginia did so, bending the green stick back almost so that it was doubled over on itself. She could feel the strain on the pliable wood, but it did not break. She released one end at the crone's nod and the branch whipped back to it's original shape. Virginia smiled at it. She thought she knew the object of this exercise at least, but the crone herself offered no explaination as she turned to go. Virginia called after her as she melted back into the trees.

"Why is all this happening to me?" she called softly. "No, wait. Don't answer that. I'm not sure I want to know" she added as the crone turned back to face her. The sun dappled light caught her face as it creased with a crooked smile.

"Ah, so you _are_ becoming wise! I had my doubts about you Virginia! But you know now, don't you, that you live in a land where all of reality is a story in itself, so why would you want to skip through the very last page when you've only just started chapter two? That would take all the fun out of it, yes?" chuckled the crone. Virginia found herself laughing as well. Of course, it would help on occasion to know just how many chapters one would have to live through to get to Happy Ever After, she thought with good humour. The shrubs parted to allow the old woman to disappear back into the forest. Virginia stooped to place the green branch on the forest floor next to one of the woodland giants, a huge elm that swayed gently in the non-existent breeze.

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Wolf backtracked down the trail to where Virginia stood as if in a daze. She stared at an old tree, then at the ground in front of her, then back again to the small bushes where the old woman had vanished. She shook her head slightly and laughed softly to herself. Whilst it was good to see his Virginia smiling again, Wolf couldn't help but worry that the stress of the past weeks had finally begun to catch up with her. She looked whole, and healed of her physical injuries, but how was her mind coping with all the changes forced upon her? More than ever he just wanted to scoop her up and take her home, keep her safe and loved for the rest of their lives. But that would only delay the inevitable. She was a werewolf now, destined to transform under the next new moon, if her and Elias' guesses proved correct. And they were only guessing. The truth was that neither of them knew just how and when. Their particular curse gave them no insight into their own nature, it seemed, which was in itself an odd situation. All creatures (excepting most humans, of course) knew instinctively their own selves, even if they gave it little concious thought. Half-wolfs were born knowing almost all the wolfcraft they would ever need, how to scent, stalk, to sense where the moon was in her cycle, how to interact with other half-wolfs. These strange lycanthrope creatures knew nothing, not even their origins. It was no wonder that the witch's spell had failed on Elias. He didn't even understand what he was asking to be removed. Wolf was trying to keep his doubts hidden for his beloved, but secretly he wondered if there would ever be a cure.

He forced a smile to his lips when Virginia ceased her musing and turned to him with a beam of her own. He held out his arms to her and she came willingly into his embrace.

"Ready to go, succulent girl?" he breathed in her ear. "If we hurry, we can be in the village just on nightfall".

"Hmm, sounds like a good plan" she answered, pulling away long before he wanted to let her go. Once back at the horses, the group mounted quickly and Virginia once more took up the lead. Wolf let his own horse hang back a little so he could ride with his brother. Plus, he could watch Elias, if he wanted to admit it to himself. Things had calmed somewhat between them, thanks to Virginia's determination and skillful manoevering of conversations, but Wolf had yet to think of the man as anything other than a monster. A monster that wanted his Virginia, body and soul. Elias' attraction for Virginia was easy to discern, and it hurt to watch. Wolf had once thought of Elias as his brother, and in the short time they had spent together before the incident, the man had come to fill the void in Wolf's life left vacant by his real brother, Willem. So, it hurt doubly to think of his human brother as an enemy, and one who would take Virginia if he could. Wolf drew alongside Will, their horses falling into step as they followed Virginia. At least with Willem, Wolf knew that his brother would follow wolfy etiquette to the letter regarding his behaviour with Virginia. One did not attempt to break up a life-bond in wolfen communities. But humans, they were another matter. They stole each others mates all the time. Wolf jumped as Willem snapped his fingers under his nose.

"Stop thinking so much, you look like some dumb human!" he huffed in mock annoyance. Wolf sighed but fought the urge to tumble his older brother out of the saddle for a good old wolfy thrashing. But he was infinately glad that Will had tagged along on this mission. They still had a lot of catching up to do and they'd had precious little peace and quiet to do so. Almost as if he had read his mind, Will turned to look Wolf up and down as they rode.

"So, what's with this village then? Every time Virginia mentions it's name, you get this weird look on your face. I take it you've been there before, so what happened?"

"Tut tut tut. Don't you know your history then? I thought you said that you'd heard the story of the 'Four Who Saved the Nine Kingdoms', and that's what prompted you to come and find out if it really_ was _me they were all talking about"

"Well of course I heard it, foxbreath, but the version I heard did gloss over some of the finer details. Only part I recall was the bit about Virginia winning a beautiful shepardess competition and Tony unmasking what the Peeps had done to the magic well, and something about some hussy shepardess called Sally..."

"Really?" Wolf asked in some astonishment. But how typical for the human storytellers to omit the more gruesome details, especially regarding their own behaviour. The version doing the rounds of wolfen communties would be quite different, he guessed.

"So, what happened?"

"She was murdered. Sally Peep, she was murdered, by her own grandfather. But guess who got the blame?"

"Not you!" Will replied, looking insulted at the thought, although Wolf couldn't tell whether he was serious or not. "Wow, what did they do to you then?" he continued. Wolf gazed ahead for a moment, recalling the turmoil of emotions at the time. Sidling his horse closer to his brother, he recounted what had happened that fateful day in that oh-so-innocent looking village. Afterwards, Willem rode with a suitably impressed look on his face.

"Well, that was a close one for sure! Not many wolf's have escaped the pyre with only seconds to spare like that. Perfectly amazing that it all fell into place at the right time, what with the dog finding the jacket and Tony getting the other Peep to confess. And good on Virginia for having a go at representing you at the trial. She must have been quite a sight taking on those villagers for you"

"She was remarkable, considering how much I had frightened her the previous evening"

"How so?"

"Well, it was full moon time, as I said. I guess I was trying to force the issue, but whether to kill her or mate her, I still don't know. Maybe both. You know how it is. But she was having none of it. She stood her ground that night, and the next morning as well when I all but told her what I was going to do to her. I don't know still why she just didn't scream and run"

"Just as well she didn't"

"Oh yes. If she'd run, I'd have hunted her down for sure. But the blundering Tony came in just at the right moment and I was able to run myself. It's remarkable that I remember those little details, even now. I was totally moon-mad, uncontrollable. It was the first time I'd been able to let the wolf run free since I'd been out of prison. And that evil queen bitch was urging me on at every turn"

"Phew. So it was a close call for both of you then"

"Very much so. And then I blurted out all about our own parent's pyre, not guessing that I'd be facing that very same thing the next day. And all I could think about, when I stood there waiting for the brand to come down on the wood, was that Virginia, my sweet girl, she must really love me, because no-one cries like that, the way she did when she thought I was going to die" Wolf said slowly, hearing in his mind those piteous cries. _Wolf! No, stop this, please... _Willem had been silenced by his tale, Wolf saw. He felt tired, worn out, ready just to lie down in the long grasses and sleep for a week. Not long grasses, but pastures. He glanced from side to side, seeing belatedly that they had ridden right out of the disenchanted forest and were even now approaching that outskirts of the village. Ahead, his acute senses picked up the sights, scents and sounds of human habitation. Will rode tall in the saddle by his side and Wolf unconciously imitated his stance. That's right, no need to slink and scurry through any village, not any more. He was a hero of the realm, was he not? Beside him, he heard Will draw breath and mutter appreciatively in wolfish.

"Hmm, nice sheep they have here. Tasty or what?"


	12. Chapter 12

Circle Of Sisters

12. _Return To Little Lamb Village_

The early evening cast a rosy light over the buildings in the main square of Little Lamb Village. It struck the multipaned windows, causing random flashes of colour to play across the gigantic golden statue that stood right in the centre of the village's common area. Wolf brought his horse up abruptly at the sight. There had definately been no such statue when he had been here last. In fact, it graced the very place where his execution pyre had once been hastily erected. Wolf saw Virginia ride forward, craning her head to peer up at the thing. From his perspective at the rear, the edifice appeared to be a human, most definately a female one too. Was it one of Virginia then? His beloved mate would cringe at the thought, he knew, but as he watched her draw near enough to determine the statues features, she started to laugh awkwardly. Wolf thought he could hear a subtle irony in her voice. Intrigued, he forgot his earlier trepidations and rode forward to her side, seeing at once just who the statue was meant to be.

Sally Peep.

None other than that very flirtatious, incredibly spoiled birthday girl who had unintentionally got them all into so much trouble that day. The carving was a fairly good likeness, he saw, except for the fact it was several feet higher than it's original inspiration. It seemed to worked from clean stone and painted gold. She stood unmoving on her pedestal, holding her shepardesses crook in one hand and a small lamb tucked under the other arm. Her ringlets, sullen pout and heaving bosom were exactly as Wolf remembered them. Beside him, Virginia continued to snort and giggle in a mixture of genuine humour and sarcasm. Wolf's eyes were drawn to the gold plaque at the base of the monument.

Our Fair Shepardess Sally Peep

Who Gave Her Innocent Life

To Restore To Our Humble Village

The Magic Of The Wishing Well

"Huff Puff! You've got to be kidding" Wolf managed after a moment's perusal to make sure he had gotton the words right. Virginia looked sideways at him, but a shrug of her shoulders was all the answer she gave. Wolf felt that a simple shrug was probably the most sensible reaction. It was a mystery to him, but then, all too typical of how events could be manipulated by a community still so reliant on their being a 'happily ever after' reason for everything. The fact that Sally Peep had only inadvertently restored the wishing well water by way of her petulant destruction of her family's secret stash had obviously been conviently overlooked. But then, maybe only Sally herself knew the truth of events. Her and Wilfred Peep, of course. Wolf wondered what had happened to the old man. He had disappeared into the middle of the angry mob last time Wolf had seen him. When they had left later that day there had been no sign of what the villagers had done to him. Wolf gazed up at the structure once more, suppressing a shudder as he recalled how closely dear little Sally had come to being killed by himself. He had wanted her, surely, but when he had come upon her that afternoon she was already dead. Just bad luck that a group of Peep boys had seen him nosing around the body. But he wouldn't have eaten her, oh no, not even a nibble, because wolfies only eat what they kill themselves. The thought was reassuring to Wolf right now as he scanned the area for any lynch mob that might be assembling itself. Virginia clucked through her teeth at him.

"Come on Wolf, just relax a little. No one's going to try anything. They probably won't even remember us"

"Oh sure! Easy for you to say!" he retorted, a little more sharply than he had intended. Virginia just raised her eyebrows at him before dismounting, leading the mare over to the hitching rail in front of the Baa Bar Inn across the square. Will and Elias followed her lead, but Wolf still lingered back to snuff and scan the shadows. Satisfied that at least the immediate area was safe, he caught up with the others as they unpacked their baggage from the horses. An old ostler came forward to lead the four tired steeds away, his eyes running appreciatively over their fine breeding. No country hacks these, but only the best from the King's own stables. Wolf rubbed at his aching back and tail, sure that his own cranky mount had deliberately found every bump and overhanging branch on the whole trail. But he took care to tuck his tail out of sight as he dismounted. No sense in being deliberately provocative in this village. Will went forward to relieve Virginia of her bags as she climbed the few steps to the front door. Pushing it wide, a friendly yellow lamplight spilled out and the tantalising aroma of meat reached Wolf's nostrils. Forgetting his earlier caution he bounded up the steps to follow Virginia in on her heels.

"Oh my! It's the Lady Virginia!" gasped a feminine voice from across the bar. Wolf turned to see the manageress Barbara Peep making her way across the now silent common room. Every pair of eyes was fixed on the four travellers. A trickle of sweat ran down Wolf's back and he felt his canines start to come down of their own accord. He closed his eyes and waited.

"HOORAY! Welcome, welcome! Come in, sit down! Look everyone, it's the Heroes Of The Realm!" shouted Mrs Peep in unison with the rest of the crowd. A great human ruckus ensued, with all manner of compliments shouted their way.

"Perfectly wonderful for you to visit us"

"You put our little town on the map, you did"

"We've made your song our very own village anthem, Lady Virginia!"

Wolf could scarcely believe his ears. Virginia had turned a bright red, he could see, but she was laughing as well. Elias hung back, but he too was smiling in that guarded way of his, whilst Will had already moved into the common room proper to grab up a huge plate of meat and a beer. Wolf willed his hackles down and his teeth to return to their hiding places. He could sense no duplicity in the room, but then most of the attention was on Virginia. The villagers eyes were vacant as they looked upon him, seeing him but not seeing him. Wolf decided that that would be just fine with him. He wondered if the townsfolk were embarrassed by their treatment of him. Or maybe they saw in him an opportunity lost, a wolf who got away. He supposed that he might never know. Wolf felt a sudden concern for Will. The Little Lamb folk might tolerate him because of his status and influence, but Will had no such protection here. He picked his brother out of the room, seeing that he had ensconced himself within a small group who looked like they were comprised mostly of fellow travellers. Will spoke easily enough, and his little audience seemed rapt, but Wolf could tell from his stance that he remained on guard. Good. His brother was well travelled and experienced with human folk after all, Wolf counselled himself. But he hoped they would be well clear of this place before nightfall on the morrow when the full moon would rise.

Wolf looked again for Virginia and saw Mrs Peep escorting her up the stairs with a man carrying the group's baggage. He left Elias standing in the lobby as he bounded after her. Barbara Peep was showing Virginia into what was obviously the best room.

"Here you go then, my Lady. It's a humble room for such important guests as yourselves..." she said solicitously.

"It's fine, thankyou. Better than the barn we stayed in on our first visit" Virginia answered. Mrs Peep turned bright red in seeming embarrassment at the idea of national heroes sleeping in barns.

"Ah yes, well, my good sister, she's opened that place right up. Get's plenty of tourists come to see it, she does"

"I see" said Virginia with an unreadable expression on her face. Mrs Peep fussed around for a bit longer before declaring that she would send up to the room a vast array of the town's best food and drink. Wolf stepped aside to hold the door open for her, forcing the woman to walk under his outstretched arm.

"And plenty of meat, good woman. I'm _ravenous_" he whispered as she passed by him, unable to control his desire to provoke a response, any response, from the manageress. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she nodded, but then that curious blank expression that he had seen on the folk downstairs returned to her face. Wolf thudded the door closed as her feet clattered away down the stairs. Virginia made an odd choking sound and Wolf saw that she was trying unsuccessfully not to burst out laughing.

"Oh Wolf, you're just priceless! I'm sorry, I shouldn't be laughing when this is so weird for you..." she said between stifled gasps. "So, do you think we'll have to pay to get in and see our very own tourist attraction?" she continued, lying back on the four poster bed and wiping at her damp face with a corner of the sheeting. Wolf left the door to straddle her small form on the bed.

"You want to go there, to that barn?"

"Oh yes, _tonight_" she answered with a look on her face that left no doubt in Wolf's mind what would transpire there. Later, after they had gorged on the sumptuous platter sent up from the kitchen, Wolf followed Virginia out the back door and into the night. They tiptoed across the field to the barn door, passing the none too subtle sign with 'Come And See Where The Heroes Slept. 2 Silver Wendells each" painted on it. Faint moonlight came in the upper window, just like it had done all those months ago. Wolf shivered as he caught sight of the post where Virginia had tied him up that morning, when he had been so close, so close...

"Something wrong, Wolf?" Virginia said from behind him. He turned to see her standing bathed by the moonlight. She wore a simple garland of flowers bound about her brow, and nothing else. Wolf struggled a moment to control his reaction to her, but gave up.

"Virginia" he breathed finally. "Will you, do a thing for me?"

"What's that then?"

"Tie me up?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wendell dropped his fork with a rattle on the fine china. His dining companions, Tony and the half-wolf woman Elsie, were deep in conversation about the doings of Caelum that day. That same cub, none the worse for wear after his nightime escapade, was stretched out in front of the fire, a knobbly end of a roasted lamb leg clutched in one hand. Tony interupted his ramblings to stare at him curiously.

"What's up, Wendell?" he asked with the familiarity that he was known for. Wendell supposed that his friends seeming lack of 'respect' was due to the fact he had been born and raised in a King-less land. Wendell couldn't quite concieve of any land not having a King or Queen to rule it. How would they ever get anything done? He toyed with his food a bit before answering.

"I'm worried about Virginia"

"Well, I am too. She shouldn't be off gallivanting so soon". Wendell saw the hidden pain on Tony's face when he spoke, and he realised that Virginia had told her father even less than what hints she had dropped for himself.

"I think something's happened to her"

"What do you mean? Have you had word or something?" said Tony, half rising from his seat. Wendell held out a placating hand.

"No, no, nothing like that. They'd still be in the my Kingdom. Nothing will happen to them. What I meant was, something has happened to her. She's different and I don't like it"

"You mean like she's under some spell or something?". Wendell almost smiled at Tony's response. He had been living here long enough if magic was the first thing he thought of now.

"It's to do with that Elias creature"

"Elias? He's just a man, from America of all places. What would he have to do with it?". Wendell stared blankly at Tony, unsure of what he meant? Hadn't anyone sat down with Tony and put all the pieces together?

"Tony, answer me truthfully. What do you think happened to Virginia that night?"

"Well, I...ah, well, something, no, some wolf attacked her. I know it wasn't Wolf, but..."

"But what? Have you never asked her?"

"Well, no. She was too sick, I was too worried. At the time, all we could concentrate on was keeping her alive..."

"I know, I know, but, I think the man Elias did it. Wolf told me as much, except when he spoke of Elias, he was not speaking of a man, but a monster. A huge wolf like beast". Wendell watched Tony's face as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. He could only hope that Virginia's father could understand the solution better than he could. Beside him, Elsie stirred uncomfortably. Wendell fixed her with an icy stare.

'You know something!" he said, gripping her forearm hard. The she-wolf squirmed, but before she could answer, Tony blurted out a strange word.

"Werewolf. Oh my God, he's a werewolf"

"A what?"

"A werewolf. Lycan-something, they call it. Just a legend, a myth in my world. How can it be?"

"Legends are always based in truth, Tony. Surely you've realised this by now"

"Oh no, oh no..." Tony's face had gone ashen. "Virginia. She was touched by a werewolf. Oh, no..."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following morning dawned with grey skies and vast heavy clouds which dripped their loads down the sides of the inn. Virginia lay back under the covers, watching the rivulets of water trail across the window glass. She snuggled deeper into the blankets, feeling the cool air despite the fact that at least half of her was draped by Wolf, still sleeping. She fingered the faint rope burns on his wrists with a smile. Well, he _had_ asked for it, after all. Afterwards they had slept a little in a pile of hay, but Virginia had woken them to return to the inn well before dawn. The last thing she wanted was to wake up in the morning to dozens of paying tourists getting more than their moneys worth. It made her wonder what other areas of the Kingdoms had become 'must see' attractions. The cellar in the Snow White Prison, the auction room in Kissingtown, the cave on the side of Dragon Mountain. Industrious Kingdom folk were no doubt cashing in on many aspects of the story. She yawned and stretched, thinking about how to go about the next step in the journey. She needed to go down the Well, that much was clear. But the how, when and what exactly was at the bottom of said well were still things that needed to be figured out.

Virginia realised at once that her going down the village Well might not be favourably received by the townsfolk. Even if she pulled enough 'rank' on them, she'd still end up with half the village following her just to see what she was up to. So, secrecy was needed, and that meant under the cover of night would be the only option. Virginia hated to waste a whole day waiting for nightfall, but she didn't see any other way four people could access the well without being noticed. So, they'd need a rope or two, at least, except that Virginia didn't know how deep the well was, nor how much water was at the bottom. She didn't quite fancy having to swim any distance, and who knew how far they would have to travel? Travel to where, and whom? Virginia was assailed by a sudden raft of doubts. Surely it was a foolish mission to just jump into the unknown. What if Hera had laid a cunning trap at the bottom of the well? What was in it for the old witch anyway? Virginia didn't know why she was suddenly so trusting. Was her desperation to somehow return to normal so strong that she would follow anyone's suggestions? Maybe she should have gone straight to Snow White's icy tomb and begged her for aid.

The subtle increase of breaths on her cheek signalled that Wolf was awake, and sure enough when she turned her head, there were his green eyes boring into her own. He smiled at her, letting his fangs descend for a moment to graze her shoulder tip.

"It's the full moon tonight. Are you scared you'll change?"

"No, not really. Elias described the sort of things I'll be feeling in the days leading up to it and I've got no symptoms that I can tell. So, we've got only two weeks now"

"We should plan ahead well before then, to get you to safety if we haven't found what we're looking for by then"

"You mean, lock me up in some cage and so make the Kingdoms safe from me" Virginia answered, caressing his cheek when she saw her words had hurt his feelings. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't take it out on you. And you're right to think like that Wolf. I couldn't bear it if I ever killed anyone, knowingly or not" she added as he wound his arms around her back to draw her on top of him.

"You won't, you won't, I promise. Now, what is the plan for today?"

"I have to go down the Well. Tonight would be best, because I don't think the villagers will be too happy when they find out. But I'd like to find out how deep it goes and how much water's at the bottom. I don't want us all drowning"

"We'll ask about. Surely someone has measured the depth of it at some time" Wolf replied matter-of-factly. Virginia kissed him deeply, glad that his ever practical mind had come up with a probable solution to at least one dilemma. She raised herself up on her arms to slide out of the bed, but he grabbed at her again to nuzzle along her neckline with little nibbles. Wolf held a close a moment before letting her go finally, which suprised Virginia, given that he was well and truly ready for her. He smiled slyly from the bed as she turned to scoop up clothing from where they had tossed it last night.

"So, it's the full moon tonight and we'll be spending it most likely stuck in waist deep cold water, with my brother and Elias for company and probably getting laughed at by a bunch of overpaid fairies" he said, winking at her. Virginia laughed for a while at the image his description had conjured up in her mind.

"Yep, sorry love. But you can't say that being with me is boring now, can you?" Virginia replied with an exaggerated shrug of her shoulders, pulling on trousers and boots.

"Ah no, never that beloved Virginia" he called after her as she closed their bedroom door. Downstairs, Will and Elias were already up and loading their plates with breakfast. After selecting a delicious looking bowl of porridge, Virginia joined them at the long dining table. Will looked over her breakfast with typical half-wolf dismissiveness.

"Ha! Porridge.Yuck! Call yourself a wolf do you?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the day in Little Lamb Village passed by peacefully enough for Virginia's liking. Wolf spent most of the afternoon inside their room at the inn. Virginia knew he was still uneasy about the villagers' reaction (or lack of) to his being there. Virginia had also found their empty stares strange at first and she sympathised with Wolf. It would be unnerving to watch other's gazes slide over you like you weren't there. Besides, Wolf liked being the centre of attention in most instances, so his male ego would be feeling a little deflated. But Virginia guessed that Wolf would indeed have been the topic of most discussions last night and today, albeit the secret and whispery type of talk.

Of course there was another reason that Wolf had wisely chosen to remain out of sight. It was full moon night tonight, just as it had been when they had first come to this town all those months ago. Wolf didn't typically react as violently as he had that day, Virginia knew. That first time out of his prison cell, with the initial rejection of his advances to Virginia, coupled with the influence of the Evil Queen had produced a rather manic transformation. Virginia had not seen anything remotely like it since then, but, it was better to be cautious. They were after all surrounded by endless wolfy temptations. Virginia wondered how Will would behave as the day drew on. He'd been sweating and fidgety at breakfast and had disappeared shortly afterwards. Virginia crossed her fingers that he wouldn't cause any trouble. She didn't fancy having to try and convince another sheep jury.

Feeling bored and fidgety herself, Virginia went for a walk through the village's streets. The cobblestones were clean and the town appeared well cared for, but Virginia noticed that many of the shops that had once belonged solely to Peep families now contained other families and their businesses. They all did a brisk trade, although much of the produce was of a lesser standard than Virginia had remembered, though still quite acceptable. Apparently the sharing of the magic waters of the well meant that it's influence was less, which worried Virginia for a while as she meandered through the lanes and alleys. Eventually her steps led her to the town square where the Well stood, proudly repainted with a new roof. A small crowd of admirers and the curious stood looking on as the Village Idiot recounted the story of the stolen waters.

"And then, ladies and gentlemen, our Good Shepardess Sally, she saw the error of her Family's ways and took it upon herself to return the waters to the Well, though she did pay the most grievous price, being murdered by her own Grandfather Wilfred Peep" the Idiot said in his high pitched sing song voice as the audience oohed and aahed. Standing at the back, Virginia was sorely tempted to call out "_And what happened then? Who did you nearly murder on behalf of your precious Sally?" _but she held her tongue with effort. She wanted no trouble, no further attention than she had already received. Besides, something told her that she really didn't want to know what the Little Lambers thought about their thwarted execution. Virginia waited until the tourists had thrown their coins and departed before approaching the well herself. The Idiot gaped at her with no sign of recognition whatsoever.

"Ello Miss, want to 'ear the story of our Well then?"

"No, thank you. I know what happened that day"

"Ahh. Care to make a wish then?"

"Not today thankyou, but, would you happen to know how deep the Well is?"

"Ah well, it's as deep as it needs to be" the Idiot replied as if Virginia were the stupid one. Virginia stared into his muddled face, but no further information seemed to be forthcoming. She sighed and leant over the low wall to peer down into the depths. Far below, the gleam of rippling water caught her eye. It seemed to roil and bubble as she watched, almost as if it were trying to creep up the sides to reach her. _Come to us_. That voice again. It made Virginia shiver in spite of it's soft musical tones. What must she be thinking, to jump blindly down into the depths like that? _Do not think, become_. That voice was one she knew. Snow White was down the Well? Virginia leaned right over as far as she could, straining her eyes to see.

"Why?" she called out, and her voice echoed of the stone walls. A small tear escaped the corner of her eye to trickle down her nose. It hung suspended for a millisecond before it fell. Virginia watched as it plinked into the waters below. Instantly, the water changed, becoming a huge mass of colours swirling before her eyes. Great sparkling lights lifted from the surface, travelling upwards. They struck Virginia's face, hands, breasts and belly as she leant forward over the rim. She felt a great warmth and rush of love enfold her. It was so intense that she didn't even scream as she fell.


	13. Chapter 13

Circle Of Sisters

13. _The Village Idiot Does It Again_

Wolf woke with a start. For a moment he stared wildly around himself, disorientated. Slowly the room came into focus and his mind cleared. Ah yes, the Baa Bar Inn. His and Virginia's room. Wolf turned his head from the pillow to look out the window, although his body knew precisely what time it was. Dusk lay over the Little Lamb Village and moonrise was but two hours away. Wolf smiled in the gloom of the darkened bedroom. He threw off the covers, seeing that they were damp with sweat. Even though he was naked in the cooling evening air, his body burned with a furnace of it's own. He could feel the muscles twitching and bulging as extra blood flowed to them. He sat up slowly, savouring the sensations. Well, all except for the raging hunger that seemed to turn his stomach inside out. Wolf gasped as the cramping reached a peak and then gradually dissipated. Still, hunger was good, especially if one knew how to hunt one's own dinner. He scratched at his nose in agitation. No Wolf, you're in human company now. You'll just make your way down to the dining room and eat with good manners just like they do, he reminded himself, searching around the room for his clothing. Virginia's baggage seemed untouched from where she had left it earlier in the day. Wolf wondered where she was as he splashed cold water on his face and combed back his hair. He could not hear her voice from amongst the multitude downstairs in the bar, but then she would be unlikely to be singing "We Will Shear You" as loudly as the other hotel patrons were, he thought with a smile. Wolf finished his dressing and looked at his reflection in the mirror over the dresser. No, he didn't look as feral as he felt, thank the Goddess. His eyes still appeared human enough, for now anyway. Not that it mattered much tonight in this town. These villlagers knew exactly who and what he was and of course they would be astute enough to know it was full moon tonight. Wolf suspected that the village square would be all but deserted after moonrise as the villagers barred their doors and windows. That would mean that he, Virginia and the others would be able to approach the Well most likely without being seen.

Wolf shut the door firmly, the sudden increase in the smells coming from the kitchen making his stomach do another round of somersaults. Virginia had been right in the fact that the quality and taste of the food wasn't as good as it had been when the Peep's had all the water, but Wolf didn't mind in the slightest. Hungry half-wolfies weren't fussy in the slightest. Wolf hoped that his brother Will was behaving himself. He stole down the stairs, hoping to catch a servant unawares and give him or her a little scare. But there were none about, so he made his way into the communal dining area. There was only a moments pause in the conversations as he appeared, but none of the humans were so obvious as to turn their heads and stare at his entry. Wolf scanned the room, picking out Will and Elias at one of the rear tables. Both had tall tankards of cider and plates piled high with meat and vegetables. Will raised his arm to beckon across the room. Wolf crossed the crowded room to slide in on the other side of the table.

"Evening. Where is Virginia?" he asked, reaching for a rare cooked chop off Will's plate. His brother almost growled at his theft.

"Hmph. We don't know. She's not with you?" Will replied through a mouthful of meat. Elias shook his head in silent agreement. Wolf looked from one to the other. The meat in his mouth went down with barely a chew.

"What do you mean, you don't know? I haven't seen her since she left our room before lunch. I thought she was with you" Wolf said sharply, not willing to listen to the alarm bells going off in his mind just yet. Across the table, Will's face creased in a minute frown. Elias cleared his throat softly and beckoned to a passing tavern servant.

"Good man, I hope you can help us. We're looking for our companion, the Lady Virginia. Perhaps you've seen her?" he asked smoothly, staring deep into the man's eyes. The man's face went blank, like he'd been put in thrall. His voice was monotone when he answered.

"No, good sirs, not I. But, if it pleases you, I'll ask around right now. I'm sure someone has seen her" he said, darting off immediately into the smoky rooms of the Inn. Wolf tried to clear his mind and calm the beating of his heart whilst they waited. Where was she? So unlike her to leave his side for so long, not without telling him where she was going. Or maybe she had, and he'd just forgotten? Wolf racked his memory of the morning. She'd risen long before he'd wanted to, quite well rested in spite of the long hours they'd spent awake the night before. Wolf recalled that he'd wanted to persuade her to spend a few more hours in love play, but he'd let her go. He'd been uneasy about her scent. She had seemed fertile to him, though he knew it was out time with her normal female cycle. Maybe the injuries and the stress had thrown it out, but Wolf didn't want to take chances. He had promised Virginia not to give her any more cub's without asking first. Wolf barely restrained himself from leaping up when the servant returned, this time with Mrs Peep in tow. She looked very uneasy.

"My lad here tells me you can't find the Lady Virginia?" she asked. Wolf didn't trust himself to speak so he was glad when Elias took up the inquiry.

"Yes Mrs Peep. We were hoping that one of your good village folk might know where she is"

"Well no, I'm sorry Mr Elias. No-one's seen her since early afternoon. She was walking through the village market place, last I saw her"

"Was anyone with her?"

"Not that I saw. But I had to go on my way. I thought she'd returned here to the Inn. Thought she must have been upstairs with her, umm, I mean, with..." the manageress stammered the last part, her face going scarlett with seeming embarassment. But Wolf detected the revulsion in her voice all the same. The Goddess only knew just how these sheltered people pictured human and half-wolf sexual relations, but Wolf knew that they weren't all that different. There was no point in telling the human's this though. They had all manner of odd rituals and superstitions regarding the expression of love. Wolf stared hard at the woman, trying hard to curb his wolfish temper.

"You mean, you thought she was with _me_" he said smoothly, forcing Mrs Peep to acknowledge him. He was tempted to add a more descriptive reference, but the woman looked like she was about to bolt. Maybe she was just afraid of delivering bad news to a table of cranky wolfs on the full moon. He forced himself to smile at her. "Well, she hadn't been with me since early this morning. She was going out for a walk and she hasn't come back. I suggest you ask around further. Surely someone saw where she went, or knows where she is now. I'm getting _very upset_, Mrs Peep". The woman bobbed her head up and down so vigourously Wolf thought it was in danger of falling off. She disappeared in a flurry of skirts and soon Wolf could hear the scraping of chairs and mutterings that announced the hasty departure of a good portion of the Inn's customers. Within minutes, they had virtually the whole dining room to themselves. Will coughed quietly across the table and Wolf looked over at his brother. Will's face suggested that he was about to make one of his glib comments, but a glare from Wolf silenced it. Elias had dropped his typical recent neutral expression and replaced it with a worried frown.

"What about you?" Wolf asked him coolly.

"What about me?"

"Do you know where she is? You've been following her around like a dog on heat, and don't think I don't know what you really want. Maybe this has something to do with you..." Wolf began, but Willem cut in before Elias could respond.

"Wolf, stop this. It won't help. Elias has been with me, all day" he said with surprising heat, before adding in wolfish _"You know I wouldn't let Elias have any access to her without your knowing about it"_. Wolf nodded at the words, but he threw off the placating hand on his arm, too tense now to appologize to either Will or Elias. He shoved his chair away from the table briskly, standing up to his full height.

"Right, well, lets go then. Can't leave it to these puny humans to find her. We'll track her down ourselves. Probably should have kept it to ourselves anyways. The scent will be all muddled with all the human's tramping over it". Wolf was pleased to see Will and Elias standing almost at attention as he spoke, and as he turned to leave the Inn they followed meekly behind, although Wolf noted that Will scooped a great pile of meat and bones into his small pack as they left the table. Well, he could hardly blame his brother for taking along a snack for the trail. It could be a long night after all. His own stomach grumbled loudly in protest at his daring to look at meat and not eat it, but he ignored the troublesome thing as he stepped out of the Inn. It was full night now and over on the horizon the pale gleam heralded the approaching Goddess of the night sky. But where Wolf had expected to find the village well lit with scurrying citizens trying to find his Virginia, he was perplexed to find it almost deserted. Not a single human soul showed their face from any doorway or window. Will huffed behind him.

"Well, this is great. Really helpful people, this lot" he said, loudly enough so that his voice carried up to the shuttered windows above. "Typical" he added after a moment. Wolf stood a minute more, scanning the night for sounds of an ambush or hiding lynch mob, but there was nothing there. Well, two angry half-wolfs and a monster from another dimension roamed their village this night, so it was probably just as well they had decided to stay out of the way. It disappointed him though, that they could fawn all over Virginia one moment and abandon her when she might be in trouble. Wolf's brow crinkled at the thought. Will had moved into the street now, snuffing over the multitude of scents for the one they all loved in one way or another. Wolf joined him, bending low over the cobbles.

"Virginia! Virginia!" he called, softer than he would usually, knowing her enhanced hearing would serve her well. He picked up her scent almost immediately, sorting out the invisible trail from the older one she had left the day before. The three of them followed it for quite a few minutes as it meandered over the stones, going down random streets and stopping now and then at shop fronts and the like.

"She's not moving as if she were in danger or threatened" said Will, and Wolf agreed. She'd just been wandering through the village like any visitor might do.

"Let's keep going" he said, following the thin trail as she doubled back and made towards the village square. The statue of Sally Peep scowled at them as they quartered the area. The scent led eventually to the Wishing Well itself. Virginia had stood looking at it for long minutes, and then she had gone right up to the edge. Wolf sniffed all round the circular wall, but the trail stopped abruptly. A low snore broke his concentration for a moment, and he saw in the shadows the familiar shape of the Village Idiot lying stretched out half under a nearby building. Wolf went and nudged the man in the ribs with his boot.

"Wha...what, who's there?" stammered the Idiot. Wolf thought he stank as foully as he had a year ago, but he bent to pull the little man to his feet. The Idiot's crooked teeth glimmered in the dark.

"Ah...'ello then good sirs. Would you be wanting to 'ear the story of our Well then?" he gabbled, apparently unaware that the man who held him had red glowing eyes.

"No, no, stupid. But did the Lady Virginia come here today?"

"Who'd be that then?"

"Oh, you fool, listen carefully. The Lady Virginia. You know her. Very beautiful, brown hair, blue eyes..."

"Ah, nah, don't know 'er I'm sure" the Idiot replied. Wolf thought the man hadn't even tried to think about it. Or maybe he had. He shook the Idiot until his whole body wobbled. Behind him. Elias coughed suddenly, before starting up a unique boot stomping rythum on the stones. Dah dah dump, dah dah dump went the heels of his boots. Wolf was about to drop the Idiot and bite the equally stupid werewolf when all of a sudden the Idiot blurted something out.

"Oh, yeah...we will, we will, shear you, dah dah dump" he sang with an excruiating vocal range. "Oh_...'er _you mean. Yep, she was 'ere all righty..."

"What did she do? What happened?" Wolf almost shouted at the painful unravelling of the Idiot's mind.

"Oh, she felled in, she did"

"She fell in? When?" Wolf yelped, leaping to the edge of the low wall.

"Well now, let me think. It was, umm, maybe it was, ahh...ah yes! It was today!"

"She fell in. Did you help her? Did you tell anyone?" Wolf asked frantically peering down the Well. He could see the pale sparkle of water far below, but there was no sight or sound of Virginia. He almost didn't want to hear the Idiot's answer.

"I ah, hmm, ah, well, I don't rightly know..." mumbled the man.

"He didn't, Wolf" Will said with a sigh as he came up to stand beside the Well.

"You didn't tell anyone. YOU IDIOT!" Wolf howled at the simpleton.

"Well, yes I am!" said the Idiot, looking strangely at Wolf. "Everyone 'ere knows that!" he added, drawing himself up with dignity. Wolf paid him no more attention. He leant as far over the side as he could.

"Virginia? Virginia honey, are you down there?" he called, hearing his voice echo dimly down the stone walls. Only silence came back in response, but Wolf thought he saw for an instant the flash of sparkles as the water below shifted. He had his leg up and over before Will's arm stopped him.

"Wait a minute will you! Let's get prepared first. If she's been down there all day then a few minutes now won't make any difference. Elias, run back to the Inn and get our packs, and some rope if you can find it" he spoke firmly, not letting go of Wolf. Elias leapt to obey and his running footsteps faded away into the night. Wolf glared fiercely at him but stopped struggling, knowing the sense of his brother's words. He peered mournfully down the wellshaft again, letting his low range love-howl sound down into the depths. Did she hear it? Or was she dead, even now floating cold and still in the waters?

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She wasn't dead, she was too warm to be dead, thought Virginia. Unless these were the very last moments of life that her dying brain clung to, convincing itself that all was well. But no, she'd been down here a while, she was sure of it. Her body twitched suddenly as it remembered it's terrifying plummet through the darkness. Except it hadn't been terrifying at all, Virginia told herself. Rather, it had been elating in the extreme, kind of like the freefall one experienced only in dreams. She continued to float a while, thinking of nothing in particular. Her hair fanned out in all directions and she felt a faint tugging on her scalp as it snagged on something. Putting her hands up to feel behind her head, she felt her fingers brush against smooth stone. She flipped in the water, over on to her stomach, seeing that she had floated over to the rim of a small pool. Tempting as it was to remain in the oddly buoyant water, she placed hands on either side of the stone to heave herself out of the pool. It wasn't a large space she had fallen into, perhaps twenty feet across to the other side. In the centre she could easily see the bright disc formed from sunlight as it filtered down the wellshaft. Virginia slipped back into the water and paddled out to the circle of light. Far above, the opening of the Well made only a tiny prick of light. She had no idea how far down she was, but she suspected it was further than it looked. No sound came down the shaft, no rope of rescue. Maybe no-one had even seen her fall in.

Virginia swam back to the edge of the pool and once more lifted herself out of the warm waters. She let her feet dangle as she sat on the side and thought about what to do next. The fluid rippled with sparkles of light when she moved her legs through it. She reached out experimentally, cupping a mouthful in the palm of her hand. It tingled strangely in her mouth and she spat it out, unsure suddenly. Her body and clothing steamed gently in the warm air. She would be dry in no time at least, so Wolf's worries of a freezing waist deep reception were unfounded for the moment anyway. Virginia wondered if he was still asleep in their room at the Inn. Most likely. He'd been short on sleep for many weeks. But he'd be worried when he woke and she wasn't there, she knew. Virginia didn't have any doubts that he would be able to track her and surmise where she'd gone, but he'd be ropeable when he found out she'd gone ahead and taken the risk of jumping down here before he had. But, had she jumped at all? Had she just overbalanced and fallen, like some stupid tourist might do? Or, had someone, or something, pulled her in? Virginia shivered and looked around herself properly for the first time. The walls and ceiling of the grotto looked to be of natural stone. Only the bricks at the base of the wellshaft were man made. At her back the walls ended abruptly a few feet from where she sat, but across the pool, in the dim light thrown from the shaft, she thought she could see the outlines of a tunnel winding away into darkness. Virginia stared at the tunnel opening for quite a few minutes before she crossed the pool to stand in front of it. She strained her ears to hear, but the only sound that came out if it was the faint plink plink of water dripping into the inch deep rivulet than ran across the floor and into the pool. She took a step forward hesitantly, her instincts at war with each other. Part of her knew she should really wait for Wolf and the others, but she found herself walking forward anyway.

After several yards, the pale light from the Well had faded, but a new and much stranger light source sprang to life in the darkness. Small, knobbly shaped fungi that grew on the walls began to glow with a green and silver light. It reminded Virginia of the phosphorescent light made by the small sea creatures in the waves at night on the beach. She touched one of the fungi, but drew back in surprise when it spat a small jet of water in her face.

"They don't like to be touched, at least not by humans" said a deep male voice from out of the shadows. Virginia froze in fear. An unusual scent came to her, one she did not recognize. It was a earthy, almost stagnant smell. She strained her ears, hoping her stalker would give his position away. But what could she do down here anyway? She had no weapons, no way of escape. A pale green hand, clammy and wart covered, lurched out of the dark. Too late she tried to leap away, but the hand clamped down over her face, covering her mouth. She struggled, but it was like fighting a slippery eel. The creature, whatever it was, lifted her off her feet with ease and hurried forward, away from the wellshaft and into the maze of tunnels far below Little Lamb Village.


	14. Chapter 14

Circle Of Sisters

14. _Snip, Snip, Down The Well_

Wolf tested the long rope carefully after he had lashed it to the crossbar that ran underneath the small gabled roof over the Well. The last thing he wanted was an uncontrolled plummet to the depths below. Just like Virginia had done. Wolf shivered in dread at the thought of her broken body floating aimlessly in the waters. Super fast healing powers given her by the werewolf's blood would do her little good if she drowned first. Wolf stared sightlessly at the other werewolf in town. Elias was hastily stowing their belongings into two small packs. Will had already shouldered one and now Elias stooped to lift the other onto his broad shoulders. Neither Will nor Elias seemed particularly panicked, Wolf realised, and he had to admit to himself that he wasn't nearly half as worried as he should be. If there was one thing he had come to know over the past weeks, it was that whatever was in store for Virginia's life did not involve death at the bottom of a Well, not even a magical Well. Will and Elias had finished their preparations and stood waiting expectantly. Wolf scanned the village surrounds once more, but it remained as eerily quiet as it had been all along. The Idiot had resumed his snoring from under his floppy hat, sprawled out on the cobbles.

"Ready then?" asked Will.

"Yes, yes. I'll go first, then you, then Elias. I don't know what's at the bottom, but wait until I tug on the line before following" Wolf replied briskly. He was seriously tempted to leave Elias behind though. The moon had almost cleared the horizon. What if the spell had worn off completely and Elias had returned to his former cycle? There would be no escape for he and Will if the man turned monster on them down there. But then, if Elias was to turn, then so would Virginia. As if he knew he was being considered, Elias met Wolf's gaze evenly.

"I know you don't trust me. I don't blame you. But I have Virginia's best interests at heart and you know this, Wolf. You'll need a third person down there tonight"

"What if you transform down there? How do you know your body hasn't returned to normal? We could be minutes from another disaster"

"I won't, and neither will she. I know my own cycle Wolf, just as you know yours. We have weeks yet to prepare" Elias answered, and Wolf could tell he was being truthful. Except for Virginia's _best interests_. Wolf knew that they were vastly different to what he himself might consider them to be. But there was no time to waste worrying over how and when Elias would make his move. And it was a relief suddenly, to realize that the moon had indeed cleared the horizon as they spoke. She hung full and powerful in the sky, illuminating the three figures in the square. Wolf did not miss Elias' quiet sigh of relief in any case. Wolf nodded at the man then and gathered a good handful of rope. Swinging his legs over the side, he took a deep breath before lowering himself off the ledge and beginning the slow descent.

Wolf had good upper body strength, but even his strong arms had begun to ache long before the end of the wellshaft came. In the gloom he saw the end of the rope dangling just above the water level. He tried to judge the depth of the water, but the swirling colours gave him little to go on. Holding his breath, he shimmied down the last few feet and into the water. It was immediately warm on his skin and faint currents eddied around him as if the water were alive. He hoped the magical stuff wouldn't take it into it's head to turn him into whatever if saw fit. He still didn't quite believe that Wishing Wells weren't just the haven for cheeky fairies. But he saw no-one as he floated, spinning around slowly. He reached up to tug on the rope and felt it go taut with the weight of Will as he made his way down. Wolf swam over to the nearest edge and hauled himself out, shaking off the excess water. While he was waiting for the others, he began sniffing widely in all directions. The heavy, damp air in the Well held a multitude of smells, but Virginia's was by far the strongest. She had stood for long minutes exactly where Wolf stood right now. Wolf admitted that he was more relieved that she had survived the fall than worried about the fact that she wasn't still here. He put his nose right up to the wall where she had placed her hand a moment, trying to work out how long ago it had been. At least six hours ago, the answer came back to him from that wolfy part of his mind that he usually had little concious contact with. He never needed to tell his wolf mind what he wanted to know, but it always supplied the right answer anyway. Wolf kissed the wall where his beloved Virginia had touched it, before turning away to see the feet and legs of Will come into view at the end of the rope.

"It's okay, just drop in. It's deep enough" he called softly. The whole body of his brother appeared in a rush then and disappeared for a moment under the surface. Will flailed his way over to the edge after tugging on the line once more. Wolf leaned to help him out and the two brothers waited in silence as Elias came expertly down the rope. Wolf guessed that Elias might have been half way down the wellshaft when he suddenly yelped in surprise. The end of the rope coiled up quickly and there was the sound of some heavy object bouncing off the walls. Elias appeared, falling mutely into the pool with a huge splash, the end of the thick rope following him in. Elias vanished deep under the water. Will leapt back in just as his head made the surface again, gasping and choking. Wolf waded in to help Will lift Elias out onto the rim of the pool. The werewolf coughed mightily for a few more seconds. Wolf coiled up the remaining rope, searching for the end that he knew had been cut. The neat slice across the fibres confirmed his suspicions. Elias meanwhile had regained his voice.

"Did you see that! Someone cut the rope!" he grated. Wolf nodded, showing him the severed end. Will snorted in disgust.

"Charming, just wonderful, these people!" he shouted up the well, but Wolf doubted if anyone above would hear it. No doubt they had done their dirty deed and crept away. And probably be the toast of the village tonight, he cursed silently. Well, there was no changing the fact that they were trapped down here now. There was no way they'd be able to climb back up the slick stone walls to the surface. That left only one other option. Wolf stared across the pool, seeing the vague outlines of the tunnel leading away into the earth. He sighed, feeling his natural wariness at being in enclosed spaces. Give me the sun and stars any day, he thought soberly, knowing that Willem would likely be experiencing the same misgivings about this place he'd followed his brother into. He and Elias were going through their packs, checking and fastening straps. Elias had a shallow graze along his forehead where he had scraped it on the side of the wall as he had fallen. The blood smell was a sharp tang in the air and Wolf's own blood sang in recognition. On any other full moon night he'd be well clear of this place, hunting, feasting on the raw warm meat of his kill. He shook his head to clear the rampant images that flooded it. Time to hunt Virginia now. _To kill? _his wolf mind asked, ever hopeful.

"No!" Wolf said aloud in the darkness. His voice echoed off the walls. The other's stared at him in surprise.

"What's that?" said Elias, patting at his cut head with his shirt sleeve.

"Nothing" Wolf replied as he stepped back into the water to swim across to the other side. Will and Elias followed, making small ripples dance across the surface as they paddled. The three stood in front of the opening to the underground tunnel.

"What's down here, Wolf? What manner of creatures live down here?" Elias asked. Wolf had to admit to himself that he knew little about where they were or where they might end up. They were not in the Dwarf Kingdom, he guessed that much. Dwarves lived primarily in and around Dragon Montain which was to the west of where they were. Plus, Dwarves carved their own roads through the earth, paving, shoring up and generally leaving their marks of passage. This place, and this tunnel was a natural creation. No one had smoothed over the rough stone here. All these things came together in Wolf's mind as he sought to answer Elias' questions. There could only be one other race of folk that lived deep under the ground, a rarely seen people, lovers of darkness and wet places. Wolf smiled in the gloom.

"Goblins"

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Virginia had ceased her struggling within minutes, realising that it was a lost cause. Whatever held her did so effortlessly. It still covered her mouth with one hand, but her eyes remained free to use. The creature walked quickly and softly through the narrowing passage. The way continued to be lit by the eerie green and silver light emitted by the fungi on the walls. After a few minutes, her captor came to a junction where it took a smaller side passage and then another and another. Virginia quickly lost track of the turns. After several turns and minutes, the creature stopped at what looked like a wide cavern with many different tunnel exits going in all directions. Virginia felt her feet strike the ground again as the creature stood her up. As it turned her around, she got a good look at it's face for the first time. Virginia had seen many odd visages since coming to live in the Kingdoms, but this was one she had never seen the like of. The face was a sickly green colour, as was all the creature's skin that she could see. It was a man-shaped face, but it was covered in a great many lumps and bumps that resembled warts or boils. Virginia fought not to let her first impressions show too much on her own face, but she guessed that she must have failed as the creature smiled faintly.

"Not such a pretty sight I know" it said. The voice was definately male, and soft. Not angry or aggressive. Virginia decided to smile back at the creature, tentatively, to see how it might respond. It grinned widely, showing crooked but very white teeth. No fangs at least, thought Virginia with some relief. Perhaps it wasn't looking to make a meal out of her after all. In fact, it's whole manner now was almost appologetic. She held out her hand to the strange man.

"My name is Virginia"

"Oh, I know, I know. My name is Clayface" the man replied, taking her hand in a firm grip. The skin felt damp and clammy, not unlike a frog's skin.

"Clayface, I hope you don't find this a rude question, but, _what_ are you?" Virginia asked. The green man's eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh, of course, I forgot. You're new here, to these worlds I mean. You've not seen one of us before? I'm a Goblin. This is where we live for the most part. Under the ground, but in the nice earth, not the cold stone like those dwarves do. Not often do we come to the surface. It's a bit hard on the skin you see". Virginia nodded in understanding, before the name triggered a memory of something her father had told her.

"Did you say your name was Clayface? Are you the same Clayface who my father met in the Snow White Prison? He escaped through your tunnel". The Goblin made a small bow.

"One and the same, Miss Virginia"

"My father told me a lot about you Clayface. He told me that you stood up for him when Acorn wanted to kill him after he discovered your secret escape route"

"That I did, that I did. It'd have been a shame to let my carving talents go to waste" the Goblin replied, grinning widely once more. Virginia didn't understand the last part of his statement though, so she let it pass in favour of a more pertinent question.

"Clayface, why did you grab me like that? Am I your prisoner now?"

"Prisoner? Oh no, dear me no. Honoured guest more likely. I'm sorry if I frightened you, but I had to get you safely away from the bunyips"

"Right. The bunyips?"

"Yes. I don't 'spose you've heard of them either. Nasty little things. Live in the bottom of many wells around here, pinching the coins. They're cowardly for the most part, but they'll take down anyone small enough and on their own. They don't get much fresh meat" said the Goblin matter of factly. Virginia shivered and glanced back over her shoulder. Clayface put his hand gently on her arm.

"It's alright Miss, they won't follow too far into Goblin territory, but still, we shouldn't linger here for too long. We should go. It's a long way after all" he continued, tugging gently on her sleeve.

"No, wait, please. I need to think a moment. Clayface, how did you come to be here? Were you expecting me? My mate, and friends, they'll be following me eventually. I should wait for them. And what do you mean 'it's a long way'? Do you know where I'm to go?" Virginia spilled her questions out in a great rush, the precariousness of her situation suddenly becoming clear. She felt her breaths coming quick in the gloom of the cave. The Goblin pursed his lips thoughtfully.

"Expecting you? Well, yes, in a manner of speaking. I'm a carver after all. But, people don't just fall down magical wells every day, and you didn't _fall_ did you?"

"No. I don't know what happened"

"Of course. But, anyone who does, well they all end up in the same place, eventually. All I'm doing is showing you the quickest way. Else you might be wandering down here for years and years. Time is short for you, yes?" Clayface spoke calmly, as if trying to coax a wayward child. Virginia wasn't exactly comforted by his vague responses, but she was becoming used to the people of this world not spelling it out in black and white. _Words have power in themselves. Be wary with them lest you lock yourself onto a path of regret_. The bodiless voice floated through Virginia's mind. It wasn't Snow White's, she was sure of it now. Virginia felt the gooseflesh creep across the skin on the back of her neck. The Goblin gave no sign that he had heard anything, but he did look closely over her shoulder at one of the openings of the cave. Shallow gurgling laughter came out of it and the sound of many feet pattering. Virginia shivered and the Goblin took her arm once more.

"We really should go. The bunyips are getting bold these days". Virginia nodded mutely and drew her cloak around her.

"What about my friends, Clayface? Won't the bunyips attack them?"

"Two grown half-wolfs and a human male? I doubt it very much, Miss Virginia. And if they're good trackers, they'll catch up with us in no time, you'll see. Come on, lets get a few more miles into Goblin territory and they'll leave us well enough alone" he said briskly, starting away up a narrow path that led in what Virginia guessed to be a westerly direction. She wondered what time it was up above. Wolf would probably still be asleep and Elias and Will would think she was with him. Virginia discounted the Village Idiot being astute enough to raise the alarm, even if he had even figured out where she'd gone. So, for the time being at least, she was in this alone, but strangely for Virginia, this thought didn't come with any dread at all. She felt invigorated, following a mysterious trail under the earth like a hound on the scent. She padded after Clayface, content for the moment that he would not lead her astray. She didn't even stop to wonder how he had known who would be coming after her.

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Elias dabbed at his sore head experimentally. The bit of cloth that Will had torn off his shirt came away still with spots of blood on it and he had developed a good sized lump as well. He sighed and put the cloth back in his pocket. No sense in hoping for sympathy down here, not with Wolf in company anyway. Will, at least, had given the injury a cursory once over as Elias had sat unsteadily on the edge of the deep cistern after his plummet down the wellshaft. Elias cursed silently those above ground who had thought to cut off their escape whilst he was half way down the rope. Couldn't they have waited until he was down first? Maybe the good people of the village thought him to be a half-wolf as well, although the obviousness of that struck him as ridiculous. They had known he was human (or human looking), just as plainly as they'd known the wolf's in their midst. Elias remembered the dulled thrill of alarm that had passed though the Inn's common room as they had entered yesterday. But there had been no outcry, no thrown pitchforks or mobs chasing them out of town, thanks to the presence of Virginia. It was a puzzle to Elias just how the people of Little Lamb Village had come to deify Virginia and at the same time conviently forget how close they had come to derailing the whole process through their persecution of Wolf. It made him wonder how many of the supposed villians of many tales were just that. History was written by the victors, after all. Elias had been impressed in spite of himself at Wolf's response to the villagers. The big half-wolf cut an imposing figure at the best of times and the tension in his stance would have been alarming to anyone who guessed that he might have a grudge against them. Maybe that was why they had cut the rope. They feared that Virginia would lose control of him during the full moon and he'd run through the village as though it was a giant chicken house. Elias smiled at the imagery. Well, it was a moot point now. Virginia had disappeared into the bowels of the earth and now, so were Wolf, Willem and himself.

Elias waited patiently as Wolf cast about in the entrance to the underground world, seeking Virginia's exact trail. To Elias, the scent lay as bright as a neon pointer in his mind, and he supposed it might be the same for the half-wolf's. Warm air gusted out of the tunnel then, bringing with it not a fresher Virginia-scent but a new one. This one was immediately unpleasant. It was not unlike a Troll, as Elias had remembered smelling in the dungeons of Wendell's palace, except that this reeked not of dead flesh and leather but of rotten leaves and worms. The swamp where Hera dwelt had had a similar smell to it, but this came from a live creature. Or more than one live creature, if the sudden pattering squelch of feet were anything to go by. Elias looked to Wolf as a measure of danger, but the big man stood uneasy in the dark.

"What comes?" Elias asked him. Wolf turned in the dark to face him. Only the glitter green of his hunting eyes could be seen.

"I, ah, well, to be sure..." he began, but Will interrupted him.

"I know. They're bunyips is all. Little things, pesky, smelly. Live in bogs and at the bottom of wells too. Penny pinchers, they are, though what they do with their hoards of coins is anyone's guess"

"Are they dangerous?"

"To us, not likely. But I hope our Virginia didn't come across them by herself. It's said that they're sneaky cowards. They'll only attack in numbers, and only when their victim is alone" Will whispered, crouched down near the floor. Wolf stirred and growled loudly in the darkness. The natural curve and shape of the walls made his voice echo weirdly down the tunnel.

"Come on" he said brusquely, ignoring the sudden silence from the bunyips. Elias shouldered his pack and followed Wolf and Will away from the pool at the bottom of the well. The surface underfoot was wet with a tiny trickle of water, and smooth where the eons of flowing had eroded the rock. Within a few feet of the entrance, he began to percieve a glowing sensation coming from above and he saw unusual shaped fungi were responsible for it. It was a pale light, but welcome, and his excellent vision made the most of the display. Ahead, Wolf paused to give the fungi a glance before continuing on down the passage. Elias noticed that he moved quickly, but cautiously as well. Will mimicked his brother's stance.

After just a few minutes, Wolf paused once more, but this time his posture indicated that something had disturbed him very much. Elias hurried forward to learn what it might be. Will was kneeling on the floor of the earth passage, his nose close to the dirt and stones.

"Ahh, something wrong has happened here Wolf"

"Quit telling me what I already know, fool" barked Wolf back to his older sibling. The two glowered at each other for a second, their luminous eyes tinged now with red. Elias held up his hand between them.

"Peace! Tell _me_ at least what has happened" he spoke into the charged silence. Will flicked his gaze over him.

"A struggle. Virginia, and...someone else, a Goblin I think. A Goblin has taken her from this place. Carried her is my guess. Her scent runs very faint from this spot. She hasn't touched the ground for a while past here" Will spoke softly and precisely. Elias bent down to see if he could read the same from the earth, but apart from a confused muddle of scents, he couldn't honestly put the pieces together as well. But he didn't doubt the half-wolf's conclusion. They had much more experience at tracking than he did. He straightened and glanced to see Wolf pacing back and forth, angry.

"Why would a Goblin want to carry off Virginia?" Elias asked Will but Wolf exploded before he could answer.

"Why anything? Oh, what's the point? Goddess-be-damned, but we have had nothing but trouble since you came into our lives Elias! How I wish I had just slaughtered you on sight in Central Park that day!" he shouted. Elias stepped back reflexively, seeing Wolf's hackles start to rise up in aggression. The Wolf that Elias had come to know seemed to vanish before his eyes. In the dim light his long canines glittered. Elias fought to keep from cowering under that gaze, but inwardly he crumbled. His feet went out from under him and he landed heavily, winded on the floor. Across the cavern, he saw Wolf leap as if in slow motion towards him, heard the sickening snap of teeth close to his ear. Elias braced himself as best he could for the attack, but he was hopelessly overpowered by the moon enraged half-wolf. A part of his mind cursed and bellowed in rage. Damn it, if he could only survive till the next new moon, then Wolf would have his hands full with him then! If only Virginia were here; she would be able to stop Wolf from killing him. Or maybe Wolf had only been waiting for this opportunity.

Suddenly, the weight of Wolf bearing down on him was gone as Will joined the fray. The sounds of fighting wolves filled the cavern. Elias rolled over, struggling for breath, to see Will dump Wolf on his back and put his knee up to press firmly on his neck. Wolf snapped and snarled but was unable to free himself. For long moments the two brothers continued to struggle together, before Wolf suddenly went limp. Will leaned over to put his face up to his younger brother's.

"Submit!" he said hoarsely in both the human and wolf tongues. Elias watched in mute fascination as the Rule Of Pack was enforced on Wolf. He had been bested. He had no choice in the matter. It was submit or die. Literal death or not. Wolf turned his head as far to the side as Will's hold allowed him. The nod was small, but enough for Will. He stepped back and away, releasing Wolf. Elias saw that his muscles were trembling with the effort it had taken to hold his much stronger opponent. He fumbled in his bag for the canteen of water, taking great gulps as he sank to the floor in exhaustion. Wolf had curled up in a ball, nose to tail, and Elias knew that he shed tears. The sight of the big, dominant male reduced to this was a profound one for Elias. It made him realise that whatever he felt for Virginia was as insubstantial as the wind when compared to the bond between her and her Wolf. But, like the wind, it would never go away.

It was at this moment that the bunyips decided to attack.


	15. Chapter 15

Circle Of Sisters

15. _The Land Of Goblins_

It was hard to judge time and distance on the long journey through the dark, but Virginia guessed that they had travelled quite a lot further than she would ordinarily be able to cover above ground. In the silvery light of the fungi she could see the dim outline of Clayface as he led her ever deeper and farther from the Wishing Well in Little Lamb Village. It was probably near dawn on the Kingdom above, if the tiredness of her body was anything to go by. Virginia stumbled slightly for the second time in half an hour. Her feet, encased in their heavy boots, felt leaden. She yawned loudly, hoping it would attract the Goblin's attention and make him realise how exhausted she was. She heard the soft patter of his bare feet cease suddenly as he looked back over his shoulder at her.

"Clayface, I need to stop for while. I'm exhausted and hungry" she said firmly as he came back down the passage. This tunnel of earth looked much the same as any of those they had so far traversed. It was becoming apparent to Virginia that the whole underground was a warren of interconnecting passages, tunnels and caverns, like a huge dark maze. Her guide had lead her confidently, never hesitating at any of the junctions, though what signs he used to find his way she had not yet discovered. He came up close to her, bobbing his head in that oddly diffident way he had. In fact, if it were not for his obvious respect that he showed her with his words and mannerisms, Virginia knew that she would be feeling very afraid to be alone down here in the dark with him. Still, she wanted Wolf by her side. Clayface saw her looking back the way they had come.

"Yes, yes, Miss Virginia. Of course, you must be tired. You've been walking a long way in the dark"

"I am, Clayface. Thank you for stopping. And I'm worried about Wolf. I thought he would have caught up with us by now" Virginia answered absently, scanning the silent world for some sign of her love. Doubts clawed at her mind suddenly. She should never have left him alone in that village. Maybe the townsfolk had captured him again, or worse. The panicky thoughts ran riot for a moment before she calmed them with an effort of will. He would be alright. He'd never be off guard enough for that to ever happen again. And he had Will and Elias with him. The villagers would be foolish indeed to want to try something on full moon night anyway. He was coming for her, without a doubt. _Of course he is. You knew this before you even asked the question_. There it was, that strange voice in her head again. Virginia wasn't sure if she was beginning to dislike it's often smug intrusions into her thoughts. She sat down on the damp earthern floor and stretched her legs out, rubbing at the cramps in her calves. Clayface settled himself next to her, rummaging around in his small sack. After a moment he brought out what looked like a flattish sea sponge and offered it to her. Virginia decided that she was hungry enough to risk a bite. It was very sweet, quite unlike what she had imagined it tasted like.

"Mmm, this is good! What is it, or shouldn't I ask?"

"It's Goblin travelling food. We call it bucha. It's a plant that grows deep in the sacred waters of our lands. Just a few bites is all one needs for a long day's work"

"Wolf would love this!" Virginia said, knowing it to be true. He had an insatiable sweet tooth sometimes. The Goblin laughed in response.

"Oh, I don't know how long the novelty would last amongst wolves. It doesn't run away or beg for it's life before you eat it" he said, and Virginia had to laugh in sudden agreement with him.

"You sound like you know wolves well, Clayface"

"Oh, not really. But I'm well travelled upground, for a Goblin. Most of my people stay well hidden, down here in the nice earth. Upground folks are usually scared of us when we do appear, so I suppose we might have that in common with the wolven races. We get blamed for a lot of things too. I didn't get to know your half-wolf that well when we were both inmates though"

"No?"

"He kept to himself mostly, and most of the other prisoners avoided him, especially at full moon time. A right terror he was then, howling all through the night and day, attacking anyone who came near him. I thought it a great shame to lock up a half-wolf. I remember thinking that a quick death would have been kinder. But, he stuck it out, and was never really defeated by the walls and guards. Just as well too, or I'd have to have started another carving!" Clayface replied, warming to his tale. For Virginia, any glimpse into Wolf's former life was fascinating, unjust or not. She wondered if Wolf's judge and jury at his original trial had been as biased as the one's in Little Lamb Village. Most likely, but she couldn't spend the time getting angry over interracial inequities right now.

"Clayface, where are you taking me?" she asked wearily. The Goblin looked sideways at her with surprise on his face.

"You truly don't know?"

"No, I don't know anything. Just like before, I'm just blundering through this land, following half hints and invisible voices, hoping I'm making the right decisions at the right time. Or, just hoping that I get to make _any_ decisions. Sometimes I feel like I'm only a piece on a game board. But I can't see what I'm supposed to do at the end of this, Clayface. The Kingdoms aren't in any danger that I can see. It's just me that's the danger". Virginia knew she was rambling on, as she often did when overtired. Clayface sat in silence for a while, for which she was grateful. He sipped from a small silver flask and Virginia quaffed the brackish drink when he offered it. Warmth settled over her and her head almost nodded forward on her knees. Clayface nudged her gently.

"Sorry Miss, but this isn't a good place to sleep. Just a bit further is one of our outpost houses. We can rest there"

"And wait for Wolf too"

"Yes yes, of course. Come along then Miss" he replied, drawing her to her feet. _Come to us_. Virginia shook her head.

"Can you hear that voice Clayface? It's like a woman speaking inside my head"

"A voice? She speaks to you?" said the Goblin, awe on his green and lumpy face. Virginia nodded her reply. Clayface muttered something in what Virginia guessed to be his own language and she could see that he was very excited.

"Well then, you are doubly blessed this day!" he added, capering off down the tunnel ahead of her. Virginia made her protesting feet move forward and followed him through the earth.

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Elias felt the warm trickle of blood before his mind even registered the cause of it. He swatted vainly at the back of his neck, trying to dislodge whatever it was that clung there. It was small, the creature, less than the weight of a common house cat, but it's skin was slimy and cold like a frog's. It flopped back and forth as he spun round and round in the narrow confines of the tunnel. Almost immediately more of the things fastened themselves onto various parts of him, arms, legs, back.

"Argh! Get off me, get off!" he shouted aloud, getting a good hold at last on the one on his neck and ripping it free. Behind him in the gloomy darkness he could hear Will and Wolf similarly beset by the creatures. He could make out the form of Will as he grappled with one of the creatures (bunyips, he guessed) that strove for his throat. Both his and Wolf's eyes glowed bright red in aggression and they growled constantly. Some of the bunyips that had been hiding back in the dark came forward now, but they focussed almost singlely on Elias, evidently deciding on him being an easier prospect than angry half-wolfs. Under their combined weight he fought to remain upright, but his knees began to buckle against his will. Even his extra reserves of strength granted him from the werewolf's blood succumbed to the onslaught. Elias crumpled to the ground, putting his back up against the wall as he strove to protect his face and neck. The bunyips chattered to themselves in what seemed like excitement that their prey was down.

One attached itself to his ear, but it was dislodged suddenly. Elias sensed that Wolf stood there. One by one, the bunyips were efficiently unattached from his aching flesh as Wolf grabbed at them with both hands. Squelching sounds filled the tunnel as the soft boned bodies of the bunyips were flung in all directions. Sometime in the melee Will joined his brother in chasing away the last of them. Despite their being thrown with considerable force, most of the bunyips had simply bounced off the walls. But they were not up to a determined defence, it seemed, and there was a great raucous chattering as they disappeared back up the tunnel. Silence fell once more, broken only by the heavy breathing of Elias and the half-wolf's. Elias stayed on the ground, unwilling to risk trying to stand when he felt like he'd been half eaten. He watched as Wolf stalked back down the tunnel, checking that their assailants had really gone.

"Careful Lucian, don't go too far. There's more than enough of them to take you down alone" Will called out after him. Wolf turned back after a moment, but his expression was unreadable in the dark. He huffed quietly to himself and began a careful scope of his injuries, though it appeared to Elias that he had suffered very few. His clothing was torn in several places, but not many bite marks had made it through the wolf defenses. Will had already finished his inspection of himself, and he inched over to Elias.

"Here now, are you hurt? How many got a hold of you? Let me see" he whispered, running his hands gently over Elias and using his nose to find the fresh wounds. Although there were many bites, they appeared to be shallow for the most part, with little bleeding. His ear was another matter. It had been shredded by the teeth of the bunyip that Wolf had ripped off, in fact it had left some behind in the ragged flesh. Elias tried not to wince as Will deftly picked them out. He put them in the upturned palm Elias held out.

"There you go. A little souvenier for your troubles Elias!" Will said, gesturing to the teeth. They were very short for teeth, but extremely sharp. Elias scowled at them, but he but them in his top pocket anyway. One never knew, but maybe they would help keep other bunyips from having a go at him.

"I think they're gone for good. They won't bother us again" said Will as if reading Elias' thoughts. "Still, it was unexpected. I didn't think for a second that they'd try for us. They must be desperate to want tough old stuff like us, heh?" he continued with a grim smile.

"Well, they weren't that interested in you two! It was me they had their eye on, for sure!" Elias said with heat, feeling his strength returning. Will helped him to stand.

"But of course. You're the human, or at least you look like one. I think they just attacked my brother and I as a diversion so they could carry you off" Will chuckled softly as Elias shuddered at the thought of what would have been in store. But more pertinantly, he wondered whether these little creatures had been able to sense his hidden self. Maybe they had risked an attack now rather than fall prey when the werewolf raged through their subterranean homes. It was an unsettling thought, especially since another werewolf had recently passed this way.

"I hope they didn't bother Virginia" said Elias cautiously. He didn't want to make Wolf angry all over again, but the words slipped out nonetheless. He braced himself for another round of accusations and threats, but Wolf remained silent, brooding in the darkness. Elias didn't know which manifestation of Wolf he preferred. He had some insight of what had occurred between Wolf and Will just minutes earlier. Wolf had been the nominal alpha of their little 'pack', but that had changed now. Will had forced a submission out of him, inadvertently in defence of Elias himself. Technically, in wolf etiquette terms, Will was now the leader, the dominant male. For now anyway. Only time would tell how that change in dynamics would play out. Looking askance at both wolf's, Elias guessed that it was new situation for both of them. Will's expression was light, but guarded, and his stance radiated unease. Across the tunnel, Wolf stood as if in seeming obediance, like a second ranked wolf awaiting an order, but his body language similarly gave away his true thoughts on the matter. Quiet menace rippled off every muscle and tendon and Elias sensed that most of it was probably directed at him. And yet he had come to the aid of Elias during the bunyip onslaught, when he could have easily left him to his grisly fate. Elias wondered whether he should chance his luck and thank Wolf for his help.

"Wolf, I...ahh, I mean, thankyou, for helping me with those creatures..." Elias began, but he was silenced by the look Wolf dealt him across the passage. It was a mixture of anger and something else, possibly regret, but regret for what Elias did not know, nor care to ask further. Will stirred and hoisted up his small sack over his shoulders, breaking the tension.

"Come on, lets be off then. Every minute she gets farther away and the scent grows cold" he said as he stepped out briskly in the direction they had been heading. Elias hesitated before he followed, his battered body protesting every step, and his mind protesting the all too obvious threat that walked behind him now.

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Wolf was only partially mollified by the discovery that the three of them made further up the tunnel. It was obvious that the goblin that had accosted Virginia had in fact released her. Her trail, which had been faint when the goblin had been carrying her, now came to his nose strongly as she had been set down. The scent of her brought tears to his eyes momentarily. She was well, alive and whole (at least a few hours earlier) and she had apparently gone willingly forward with the goblin. Wolf forced himself to consider that maybe the goblin, which he recognized now as one of his former prisonmates, had in fact rescued Virginia from the bunyip ambush. It was difficult to let go of his aggressive feelings though. Even down here, far from the direct touch of the moon, still She jabbed his body to action. For a cornered wolf, attack was the only possible response, and Wolf knew he had his back against the den wall right now. The sum result of all the events of the past weeks had accumulated, and finally, been released. Now, he felt only drained. He glanced over at Elias, who was drinking from the flask that Will carried. The werewolf twitched slightly, knowing himself watched, but he didn't turn around, which Wolf suspected was a wise decision at this point in time. Perhaps when the moon had passed Wolf would feel able to trust himself around Elias. But not tonight.

Wolf's stomach growled loudly in the silence. He felt literally starving. Full moon time was a time of gorging, not just meat, but in all things. Wolf smiled to himself bitterly. Had he gotten so used to the life of a mated wolf? Why was it that he could barely recall all those years when he ran alone through the night, sometimes going hungry, always going back to an empty den? Before Virginia, such a life as he had had, not realising what he'd been missing. Now, it had all gone wrong. In just a few days, his mate would turn into a huge unknowing monster and he would stand before her, and she would...what? Kill him. That's what Virginia believed. That's why she had charged him to run and hide, save himself and their cub. That's why she now blundered through this dank and dismal place, seeking a cure, any cure, but why she had chosen to come here of all places, Wolf didn't know. He stared at the floor, watching the little rills of water as they ran over the ground. He put his boot into one of them, seeing the water change it's course to run up and over his foot, quite against the natural laws of gravity. Every now and then a small sparkle of energy swam though the trickle. He removed his boot, thinking hard about all he knew about Wishing Wells, which, he had to admit, was very little.

Most folk in the Kingdoms didn't really believe that their wishes would be granted simply by tossing a coin down a well, although that didn't stop them from trying it at least once. But the Peeps of Little Lamb Village had known differently, and the waters of this particular well had worked unfailingly for them for many many years. Right under the noses of their village neighbours too. Now, all shared in the water, but the magic was muted now, as if the waters lost some of their potency when spread out. Or perhaps the Peeps had simply exhausted all the magic. Magic was finite, and did tend to move around after all, Wolf remembered. None of this boded well for his Virginia. Wolf tensed suddenly as his brother moved towards him, holding out a joint of meat that he had taken from the Inn's table as they had left. The meat was cold and crusted with congealed fat, but Wolf bit down into it anyway. Flesh was flesh, and his body needed it tonight. He avoided Will's gaze just as surely as his brother avoided his own. Wolf hadn't expected to Will to intervene in his attack on Elias an hour ago, but he had, and now the balance of power had shifted. Power struggles of the more subtle sort went on all the time in wolfen communities. It was a trade off for their species' intelligence. Dumber animals, like sheep, had no such drama's in their lives. But for wolfs and humans, always it was a battle to get to the top and stay there. Wolf had become used to the life of a lone male. He was his own alpha. Virginia, his mate, had accepted him as one, as did Caelum, his cub.

Now, Will had stepped up and taken over that role, whether he had intended it or not. He had bested Wolf, who was much larger and more aggressive, and forced a submission. Wolf stood gnawing on his meat and wondered why he had given in so easily. True, he had been surprised, and out of his home territory, but had grief and worry affected him that much? Perhaps his brother was just as surprised by his quick victory, but Wolf knew he would never ask him about it. Such things were _never _discussed amongst wolfs. Everyone knew, and everyone would play by the rules of pack, but the two combatants wouldn't ever sit down and talk about it. The very success of wolfs as a species depended on their ingrained ability to follow the strongest leader. That was why different groups of wolfs and half-wolfs never fought amongst themselves the way humans often did. There had never been a wolf war.

Wolf had finished his meat and his stomach seemed half satisfied at least. The others had also taken the opportunity to eat, but Wolf noted that Will's little satchel was now empty. He wondered how long they would be down here in the dark underworld and where they would surface again. Wolf suspected that a great many of the wishing well's were interconnected by these subtereanean tunnels. He tried to recall where the nearest well was located. Not in the 4th Kingdom, but further north, over the border into the 2nd Kingdom he guessed, picturing the Kingdoms map in his mind. He felt a strange thrill that they might pass through the place of his birth once more. But that was a several day journey above ground. Surely they wouldn't be stuck down here for that long. But, there was no way of finding out, except for catching up with Virginia and asking (no, demanding this time, he thought firmly) what exactly she planned on doing down here. Will cleared his throat softly.

"Come on then, she's just a few hours ahead now. She goes willingly with this goblin, that much is certain, so at least we can assume she is in no immediate danger. But I'll be glad to catch sight of her again, just to be sure" he said quietly, moving off. Wolf let Elias fall in behind Will before he took up the rear, knowing that it made the werewolf nervous but uncaring about such things right now. Foremost in his mind was the strange sort of relief it was to have someone else make the decisions. His wolf self accepted it without question, but his human mind still fretted at it's imagined loss of status. Wolf decided he would _not _get used to being relieved. The trio moved forward quickly and the earth closed in around them.

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Above ground, but quite a way from where Wolf and his fellow travellers now stood, Kind Wendell drew into Little Lamb Village. It was early morning, and Wendell had ridden the better part of the night to reach the town. Few people were about at this early hour, despite it being a rural community. In fact, most of the doors and windows that he could see were shuttered tight. His manservant Rupert sniffed, but Wendell held up a hand to silence his snooty remarks.

"It's alright Rupert. They weren't expecting me" he said, watching as the door to the Inn opened a crack. Almost at once he heard a stifled female shriek.

"It's King Wendell himself! Goodness gracious me...your majesty, forgive us...we had no idea you'd be coming to grace us with your exalted..."

"It's an unplanned visit" Rupert cut her off with a wave of his hand. It said a lot about Rupert's own ideas on the matter, thought Wendell. His manservant had been ruffled to have to get up an expedition at such short notice. Ordinarily, trumpeters, advisors and minstrels would have gone ahead days ago, to prepare the townsfolk and garner the best local produce and lodging. But Wendell, fearful now of the manner of creatures that now roamed his Kingdom, had insisted on riding out with only an escort of soldiers. Strong, capable men all, but Rupert had been mortified at the lack of royal pomp. The manageress was still trying to babble, Wendell could see. Wendell cleared his throat, getting her attention.

"Good woman, I am seeking the Lady Virginia and her companions. Lord Wolf and two others. I believe they passed this way?". The woman gulped several times. Wendell wondered if she was likely to faint. It had happened before. A shadow seemed to cross her face.

"Ah, the Lady Virginia, do you say? No, we haven't seen her, King Wendell" she stammered finally. It was so obviously a lie that Wendell felt his insides go chill. At that moment, his horse neighed loudly. From back behind the Inn, it was answered, the type of sound that horses use when they greet friends. Wendell's Captain mused aloud.

"That sounds like one of our own horses, sir"

"It does, doesn't it? Send a man to find out" Wendell replied, voice cold now as the woman went paler and paler under his gaze. Within moments, the guard was back, leading a smallish brown mare. Tony, who had been silent so far, blurted out the beasts name.

"That's Apple. Virginia's horse! Where is she, Mrs Peep?"

"Yes, where is my sister, Mrs Peep?" echoed Wendell. But it was all too much for the woman. She slumped to the ground in a faint. Wendell left her lying as he dismounted. One by one, his soldiers fanned out through the buildings. Tony was standing aghast in front of a hideous gold statue in the main square. Wendell went on impulse to sit on the edge of the Well. The waters shifted and jostled below him. Wendell had been in the magic waters once before, but he had been a gold encased dog at the time. He vaguely remembered some women scolding him about something, but his doggy mind had forgotten them almost as soon as he'd been free of the confining metal. Wendell leaned to look into the Well.

"_Hello again, Wendell_". He jumped and nearly overbalanced. The voice had been loud in his ears, but no one else seemed to have heard it. "_We have touched before, and so I can speak to you this way_" the voice continued.

"I see" Wendell whispered. One of his guards looked at him oddly.

"_Wonderful. Now, take yourselves to the Coven Lake. You will be needed there. Don't fear for your friends. I will take care of them well enough. But you must go soon. It's a long way, Wendell"_

"Hello, hello? What..what did you mean?" Wendell whispered down the Well again. But the voice was silent. Wendell realised that he was on his knees, shouting down a Well in full view of many harassed looking villagers. He managed to stand up with as much dignity as he could muster. Tony was giving him that 'slice the fruitcake' look. Wendell signalled to his Captain.

"They're not here, Captain. They've gone" Wendell told him. Where? Down the Well? Surely not. Anyway, he'd best follow the advice of the Lady of said Well. "Do you, by chance, know of a Coven Lake?" he asked the guard. The man scratched at his head a moment, before rifling through his saddlebags for a map. Together they looked it over.

"There, sir. Look, there's a Lake in the 2nd Kingdom called Coven. Might that be the one?" Wendell hestitated. It was a long way away. Several days journey by horseback, and in foreign territory at that. To pass through the 2nd Kingdom would require at the very least a visit of courtesy to the Royal Family of Red, he though uneasily, seeing that the route to the Lake passed right by their Castle. Wendell wavered with uncertainty at that thought. _Hurry_. The voice whispered at him, coaxing. Wendell breathed deep, calling to Rupert as he went to his horse.

"Rupert, call back the men. They're not here. We ride now for the 2nd Kingdom" he said as smoothly as he could. Only Rupert, of all the people who knew him, might have heard the secret tremor in his voice. The rest of his men, and even Tony, leapt to mount up, gathering up the reins and leading the way out of the corrupt village. Wendell made sure that they saw the look of contempt he threw their way as he departed. Apple and the other unmounted horses followed obediently behind. Wendell gave his horse it's head as they galloped along the road. Wendell looked back once. The sun glinted off the statue of Sally Peep scowling at them as they rounded a hill and the village disappeared from view.


	16. Chapter 16

Circle Of Sisters

16. _Thunder In The Earth_

Virginia snuggled deep into the soft bed that Clayface had prepared for her. Who would have thought dried moss could be so comfortable, she thought drowsily. But right now, anywhere warm and dry would have done much the same. Virginia had totally lost track of time and distance. Had it been hours, days, or weeks since she'd fallen down the well? However long it had been, one thing she was sure of. It was far too long since she'd seen Wolf, but then, even five minutes away from him sometimes seemed like an eternity to Virginia. She half opened her eyes, seeing the round carved out room which enclosed her sleeping place. Actually, it was little more than a shallow alcove off one of the broader passages. Clayface had bade her stay and rest and had given her more of his tasty travelling food and drink. Then he had disappeared. Using her new enhanced senses, Virginia determined that he had not yet returned. She was alone, but lay unworried in the shimmering light. The goblin had had many opportunities to do harm to her if that had indeed been his intention and Virginia didn't doubt him now.

She lay her head back on the makeshift pillow, listening. The drip drip plink of water seemed to permeate the very air in this strange underground world. Virginia fancied she could hear soft voices singing and whispering in the waters. A small rill of it ran down the wall behind her head. On impulse, Virginia reached out to grasp a few drops on the tips of her fingers. She let one of the drops rest on the end of her tongue. It seemed to slip down her throat of it's own accord.

"_I was wondering when you'd think to taste of my waters_" said a quiet voice. Virginia jumped and stared around herself a moment although she knew there was no-one there. Just the owner of the voice, in her head again. She tried to clear her mind and form a coherent thought in response, but telepathy was not a skill she was familiar with.

"Who are you?" she asked out loud finally.

"_I am the Lady of The Well_" the voice said in Virginia's mind. She reached to take some more drops onto her hands from the wall. "_Careful child. Do not taste so much for now. It is potent, and addictive to all who savour it, and it has, what would you call them? Side effects? And you have a way to go yet, Virginia_"

"You know my name"

"_Indeed I do, as do many_"

"Do you work magic, Lady?"

"_No. I am magic_"

"Are you a witch?". Virginia said aloud. The speaker laughed quietly and Virginia felt her own mouth curve in response. "I'm sorry Lady. I did not mean to insult you" she added.

"_I know you did not, Virginia_"

"Can you help me?"

"_I can. But you must come before me, and the way is strange and difficult_"

"I don't care. I'll do anything to be rid of this thing. I just want to go back to my life. I want to be safe again, with Wolf and my son, in our little house by the forest" Virginia whispered, brushing away the tears that had come unbidden at the thought of her baby boy, all alone again. Mummy and Daddy gone away. Did he cry at night for her? The presence in her mind withdrew itself. Virginia sensed that her tears had troubled the Lady and that more than anything gave her hope that she was on a path of goodness, not some terrible trick devised by those who wished her ill. Of course this just made Hera's involvement all the more out of character, thought Virginia as she dashed away the moisture from her damp cheeks. She sensed the presence fading.

"Wait, please, Lady! What must I do to come to you?" she called out. From far away the voice came back.

"_Two Mirrors must you pass through, child. And into the third you may look only. You, but none of those who wish to travel with you...come to us...we wait for you...we are the circle of sisters_...". Virginia lay still as the voice faded out of hearing. Two mirrors. Circle of sisters? Very little of the conversation made any sense, but Virginia had long since given up her petulant demands for step by step guides in whatever drama's her life might encounter. She sat up on the edge of the bed, letting her still aching feet dangle. She froze as she heard distant voices, coming back up the way she and Clayface had already travelled. Her heart thudded in part excitement and part fear. Could it be him? After another moment, she was certain, and when she lifted her head to snuff the air in the way she had learned, sure enough, his scent came flooding down. Virginia felt sure that her grin was wide enough to swallow a shark when he finally stuck his head in through the opening in the alcove room. His dark unkempt hair was damp, his face pale with tension. He could barely squeeze his broad frame through the opening, but Virginia reached forward to yank him through and into her arms. She buried her face in his shoulder.

"Wolf! Where have you been? I missed you so much. Why did it take so long for you to find me?" Virginia blurted out in a great rush of words, her sudden realised fear for him giving her words an accusatory tone. He didn't answer immediately, just held on tight to her, kissing her brow and mouth feverishly. Virginia wanted to appologise for her hasty words, but when she finally looked into his eyes she knew he'd forgiven them already. But she had to offer anyway. "Honey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like it sounded..." she trailed off, seeing the knowing look in his eyes.

"Virginia, shush. You know how many times I've spoken out of fear to you. I can hardly get cross with you over such things. In fact had you not spoken first, I might be appologizing to you for biting _your_ head off!" he replied, holding both her hands between his own. Virginia drew him away from the opening and sat them both down on the moss bed. Wolf was trembling in that way he had when he was very emotional. It made her want to draw his head down on her breast and comfort him like he was a frightened cub in the night. But she resisted her first urge, knowing how close they were even now to ripping each other's clothes off. Will and Elias were just outside the room. She could hear and smell both men clearly. Virginia reached to scratch at Wolf's temple the way he often did on himself. He turned his head slightly to nip at the base of her wrist.

"I'm sorry I didn't wait down there for you Wolf. I don't even know for sure how I got down here. One minute I was just looking down the well, and the next thing I was flying through the air..."

"Did someone push you?"

"No, not at all. It was like I was drawn into this place. But I landed safely, without a scratch. I thought I'd follow the tunnel a little way, just to see, since it was clear I wouldn't be able to climb back up. Then, Clayface the Goblin grabbed me. At first I thought he meant me harm, but he was only getting me safely away from some nasty little creatures that live down here. I can't remember what he called them..."

"Bunyips. Yes, we met a few ourselves" Wolf said, drawing up his tattered shirt sleeve to show her his bite marks. Virginia felt the blood drain from her face as she looked at him fully, seeing in fact that he was in somewhat of a disarray. He showed her the few other injuries he had received, dismissing them as minor in his typical wolfish attitude. Virginia was suddenly very grateful for Clayface's intervention. She shuddered and glanced around as if expecting more of the nasty things to appear.

"It's alright my love. They won't attack us again, we're sure about it. They don't venture far from their wells anyway, and we have travelled quite a way under the earth"

"I know, but it's hard to tell just how far, and where we are right now, even. How long was it before you found out where I'd gone?"

"Probably a few hours at least. It was nightfall by the time I woke up and realised you were missing. I tried to turn out the villagers, but they all just vanished into the night. Foolish cowards! Wait till I catch up with them..."

"They were probably just afraid Wolf. You're quite a scary sight when you get mad, you know"

"Oh I know, but it gets worse. After Will and Elias and I had tracked your steps through the village that day and determined that you had fallen down the well...and I thought you were dead then, you know...we got a rope and let ourselves down. But Elias went last, and someone from the village above cut the rope when he was halfway down. He was lucky not to have been killed, or worse" Wolf continued, his eyes taking on the reddish tint of anger as he spoke. Virginia felt horrified that someone had done such a thing. She had worried about the villagers turning on Wolf, but to drop the three of them in a well and then just leave them to their fate? Virginia knew heat had risen to her cheeks as anger flared, but Wolf kissed them over and over. "I love it when you get mad, you know. But you don't _scare_ me" he whispered in her ear. Virginia pretended to swat at him, but he held her close. She let her anger flow away, but was suprised by the effort it took. She sighed and half turned away from him, clearing her head of his intoxicating presence.

"Thankyou for coming after me, Wolf" she said, feeling immediately foolish that she'd thought to say such a thing. She could feel his sudden confusion, but he didn't voice whatever he was thinking about it. Instead he just pulled her backwards against him, so that she was all but sitting in his lap. Virginia could feel clearly his male arousal as he kissed the back of her neck, and she wished once more with fervour that they were alone. Virginia didn't consider herself prudish by any means, but she knew that Wolf wouldn't hesitate for a second if he thought she would be willing to ignore their all too obvious travelling companions. He had none of her human recitence when it came to lovemaking. Her body was reluctant, but she unwound herself from Wolf's embrace, standing and putting a small gap between them. Wolf looked postively rabid in his expression, but it was a testament to his self control that he was able to mask it within seconds of her refusing him, Virginia thought. And on a full moon night too, she realised. She dropped her gaze to the floor to allow him a moment to regather his thoughts. He huffed quietly to himself.

"Just as well it's not a full moon, beloved" he said, with just enough of a warning hint in his voice to give Virginia a faint chill. But she ignored her creeping gooseflesh to focus on his words.

"What do you mean, it's not a full moon?" she asked, feeling the chill grow deeper. Wolf looked askance at her, a slight frown on his face. "The moon was due to rise on, on, when, I came down here..." she continued. Wolf blew out his cheeks.

"Well, maybe She was, but those days have passed by already Virginia. I can feel it in my blood"

"Oh my. How many days have we been down here then? How far have we travelled? Do you even know where we are?" Virginia asked, putting her hands up to her head to try and still the whirling there. Surely she had been here less than a day and night? How could she have lost track of so much time? Wolf stood and closed the distance between them, holding out his hands to grip her shoulders.

"It's alright love, don't panic. I only just realised this myself. There are several places in the Kingdoms where this sort of thing happens. Most often in the Elves Kingdom, to be sure. Sometimes, folk have gone into that Kingdom and returned 30 years later, not a day older! But look, I'm sure it will be fine down here. Time has passed us by quicker than usual, but not by much. The two day moon cycle has passed, certainly, but I'd be sure we're not that much into the next week..." Wolf said, trying to make his voice soothing, Virginia knew, but he looked anything but calm. He glanced around the walls. "Hmm, as to _where_ exactly we are, ahh yes, right, maybe somewhere far to the north west of where we were...my inner compass is all out of synch...but, all of this doesn't matter, as long as we get to where we've got to go, right?" he continued, peering deep into her eyes. Virginia realised with a jolt that Wolf actually thought that she, Virginia, knew where they were going.

"I, ahh..." she began.

"You _do_ know, don't you Virginia?"

"Not exactly, no" Virginia answered finally. Wolf let go her shoulders where he had held them. A complete mixture of emotions played out across his features. Fear, anger, hurt, confusion. They were all there, and Virginia knew it would only get worse. Soon he would ask the question. For long moments he stood in silence and Virginia knew he was searching for the right response. Outside the small cave, she could hear Will and Elias talking quietly with Clayface, comparing bunyip stories. Virginia guessed that Clayface might have played a role in returning Wolf and the others to her. She focussed her attention back to Wolf, who had sighed loudly as he sat himself back down on the bed. He looked so bewildered that Virginia felt tears start.

"Virginia, what is it we do down here? Why have you come here?" he asked finally. Virginia decided suddenly that a direct answer was best. Better to get it out and dealt with.

"Hera told me to come here. She said I would find a cure here, for myself and for Elias"

"Hera?" Wolf asked, puzzled, and Virginia held her breath. Of course, he wouldn't know her real name. If it was her name anyway.

"The Swamp Witch. Hera is her name, or so she says". The sudden silence in the room was deafening to Virginia's ears. Wolf sat opposite, his expression blank. He looked completely calm, but his strong hands that gripped the edges of the platform showed that he was anything but. His knuckles stood out prominently and he lowered his gaze to the floor. Virginia trembled in anxiety, wanting to be close to Wolf but unsure for the first time whether that would be the wisest move. As the long seconds stretched out, Virginia forced herself to think about the fact that Wolf might be truly angry with her. Not his infrequent huffs or snorts of annoyance now, but full anger, directed at her. When he stole a quick look at her from under his heavy brows, she knew the truth of it.

"I can't believe it" he said finally, his voice heavy. He continued to stare at his feet as he continued. "We're down here because the Swamp Witch told you to come here? I can't believe you would listen to that evil creature Virginia. Have you learned nothing since you've lived in my world? That witch means you harm, Virginia. How can you not see this? Why must you always assume otherwise?" Wolf rose from the platform. In the dim light he appeared suddenly to be much bigger than he was. Virginia saw that he was trying to keep his voice from rising, without success. She took an involuntary step backwards as he came towards her. "And why am I finding this out _now_, Virginia?" he rasped, red eyes flashing. Outside the room, Virginia sensed the others listening raptly. It made her angry suddenly, that Wolf should even think to chastize her in front of them. She raised her chin defiantly in Wolf's direction.

"_Don't _lecture me Wolf! It was my decision, my judgement to make. This is my problem, _mine_!" Virginia shouted back, unable to keep the hidden accusation from her voice. _You brought it upon me_. Did she really think that? Virginia's anger wavered momentarily. Across from her, Wolf stood mutely, his mouth hanging open in surprise. On any other day he might have looked comical, gaping at her like he did now, but Virginia was unable to deny to herself that it felt good, suddenly, to put him in his place for once. She shuddered, turning away, putting her back to him lest her thoughts betray themselves in her face. What was she thinking? She brushed away the hot tears from her cheeks, feeling the faint air currents swirl in the room as he left it. Despite the warmth of the underground room, Virginia felt cold. Her mind was a riot of fear. He would leave her now, go away, take his love. They always left her, the one's she loved. There was a rustling of fabric behind her, a light blanket thrown over her shoulders. No, not a blanket, but some man's jacket. Willems. He put a hand on her back, tentatively, as she cried.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wolf felt like a thunderstorm had been unleashed within his chest. He strode quite a ways down the passage before he forced his feet to a halt, though in reality he would have liked to have gone on running. He brought his fists, clenched tightly, to hammer forcefully at the rough stone walls. He ignored the sudden sharp pain in his hands as he did so. Cripes, what a horrible mess he thought savagely to himself. Exhausted finally, he slumped to the floor. Back up the tunnel, his sharp ears caught the unmistakeable sounds of Virginia weeping. He cursed silently the natural shape of the stone gallery that brought Virginia's tears to him. He didn't want to hear them. His own eyes were dry, but his heart still pounded in fear. And anger. Wolf sat and thought carefully about his reactions. He was angry, very much so. Anger was not a new sensation to Wolf, in fact, it seemed sometimes that he had lived a great proportion of his life that way. A great fire had started that day in the forest, the day when his parents burned. Over the years it had spread to include his own brother, his uncaring kindred, folk in authority, humans in general. Wolf had thought that flames had burnt themselves out in the heat of his and Virginia's love. But embers still remained. Wolf was horrified beyond words that he had directed even a small portion of it towards his darling mate.

Wolf tensed as he heard the soft tread of feet coming down the passage, but it was the goblin Clayface who came into view finally. His warty green face was set in a solemn pout as he surveyed the damaged glowing fungi that Wolf had inadvertently crushed wih his fists a moment earlier. Wolf had been surprised to see that the goblin who had been 'escorting' Virginia had turned out to be none other than his former prison mate Clayface. Except that Wolf could barely recall passing more than a few words and looks with the goblin, even when they'd shared a table in the ill-named 'dining hall'. The goblin had startled the small group of travellers by stepping out of the shadows as they had stopped to rest a minute. Had he not been so wound up with other issues, Wolf would have thought Elias' expression when he first saw the goblin highly amusing. The werewolf had gaped at the lumpy green face with barely disguised revulsion. Wolf wondered how if Virginia had reacted the same way, even though she had faced far uglier creatures in her adventures. To Wolf and Will, goblins were a rarely seen race of people and often as much maligned as their own folk, but they were secretive and little was known of their habits. The goblin and the half-wolfs had stared openly at each other, each using their own senses to determine if they were facing a potential enemy. Wolf had looked to Will for the cue on how to react, and had been surprised (and rattled, if he had to admit it) just how readily he had fallen into the role of follower. But he was the alpha of this pack no longer. It grated him enormously, especially now, when he really wanted to assert his dominance.

Clayface had finished his inspection and sat now crouched, his long legs bent up nearly to his knees. Wolf thought he looked like a frog, with his damp green skin and bulging eyes. He supposed the creature had come to rebuke him for his making Virginia cry. Wolf had not missed the obvious deference the goblin had for his mate. The goblin seemed to know something about Virginia and her destination, but Wolf decided he would not stoop to beg the information out of Clayface. The goblin man brought out a rough piece of white stone from his pocket and began deftly scratching at it with his worn fingernails. Wolf recalled that he had seen a similar thing before.

"Still carving?" he asked, wanting to break the silence more than anything. Clayface smiled secretly before slipping the stone from one hand to another. Wolf tried not to look too hard, not really wanting to know what the carver was creating.

"Oh yes, friend Wolf. It seems my little compulsion has returned. Better not get caught by the uplanders again though!" he chuckled. Wolf didn't really understand what the goblin was referring to. He knew Clayface had been imprisoned for 'carving', but he had always assumed human flesh had been involved. Everyone had, since it had been painted on his cell door after all. Maybe this Clayface was one of those who conviently 'forgot' the true extent of their crimes. Wolf didn't care. He'd done his own fair share of human carving in his younger days. Virginia must have thought herself about to be served up for a wolfie dinner just now, Wolf realised with an inward cringe. Bet she hates you now, nasty animal, his human conscience chided. No, you were right to be angry. She lied to you, she didn't trust you, his wolf-self whispered back. Clayface looked up from his scratching to fix Wolf with a curious stare and Wolf wondered if he'd been growling aloud.

"Do you have a she-goblin, a mate or woman, Clayface?" he asked the goblin.

"Me? No. Too young I am. No gobliness would look twice at me"

"Oh. On a day like this I might say you're lucky. My Virginia, well..." Wolf gulped deeply as he stumbled over her name "...she has me scrambling about like a new cub. She _lied _to me. Well, she didn't straight out lie, but she omitted a very important thing that I should have known about, and I don't know why. I've worked so hard to get her to trust me. She said often that she did. Was she lying then? Maybe she really thinks I'm just a big oaf..."

"You should be telling her this, not me..." Clayface interupted as Wolf paused to take a breath between rambles.

"But if she didn't trust me then, she certainly won't now. I showed my teeth to her, in real anger! Something I vowed I would never do"

"I think she understands why you reacted the way you did. You need to give her more credit than that, Wolf. But what she said in reply was correct. This _is_ her journey. This is the path she has chosen, no matter the method of choosing..."

"But Hera? That evil Swamp Witch? Even your people must know of her, what she's done"

"Of course. But who knows what motivates such a creature? It is too late now anyway. Virginia cannot go back. She must come before Coventina. Only there can she be cured of what afflicts her, and that other one"

"Coventina? The Water Goddess?" Wolf said, shocked to hear that even deities now played their hands in Virginia's life. He felt a sudden fear for her that had nothing to do with mere mortal health problems like lycanthropy. The goblin was nodding enthusiatically, obviously pleased that Wolf knew the correct association of water with the name of the Goddess. Wolf had a memory then of his mother, kneeling down reverentially at a small silver pool in the forest.

_"What are you doing mama?" his little boy voice piped from amongst the reeds where he was trying to capture the elusive spotted toad. He would go up very much in his brother's estimation if he managed to catch one. His mother reached out a hand to bring him to her side. Together they stared down into the still waters. Not a ripple marred their reflections._

_"Water is the realm of Coventina, Lucian. She is a Goddess, just like our Moon Mother. Water is the basis for all life in the world". The cub Wolf had peered deeply into the pond, half expecting a heavenly face to appear, perhaps like the face of the Moon he had once thought he had glimpsed. He had a sudden insight into his own mother's actions._

_"You're asking for something, aren't you mother? What?" he had piped in his direct cub like way. His mother had blushed and nodded, before leaning in to whisper conspiratorily._

_"Ssh! Don't tell your father then, but I am wishing for a daughter-cub" she had said in his ear. _

Wolf remembered his own cubbish laughter at learning of his mother's secret wish. He'd kept his word that day and not told his father, but it had become a moot point anyway. Within months they were both dead, and neither Wolf nor his parents would ever know the gender of the unborn cub that had perished within the flames that day.

Wolf sat with his knees drawn up, both hands clasped tightly between them. The anger rolled off him in great waves and he watched it go with the same detachment he had learned all those years ago. Clayface sat opposite, silent now. Further down the passage, Wolf could hear that Virginia had stopped crying. Soft voice now as she relayed her adventures to the others, Will and Elias. Snippets of the conversation floated down ahead of their footsteps as they made their way to where Wolf and Clayface sat waiting. When they came into view, Virginia leading, Wolf looked first to her face, then her whole body. Every inch of her radiated unease, sadness, and a grim defiance. She refused to meet his gaze. Instead she looked inquiringly to Clayface. The goblin had hopped up and he gestured now with one hand towards the blackness ahead.

"Good, Miss Virginia. Are you rested enough to continue? Not far ahead now, is the first mirror" he spoke to her, dipping his head. Wolf watched as she nodded firmly in response. Mirror? What sort of mirror would be down here? Wolf desperately wanted to hold Virginia down and drag all the answers from her, but her obvious unease with himself stopped him. It would do no good at all to frighten her more. And something that the goblin had said made sense. It was her journey, the decisions were hers. Even Will stood patiently by, awaiting her instruction. She stepped out quickly, passing by close enough that a great waft of her scent reached Wolf's keen nose. The other's fell in behind her and Wolf paused momentarily before bringing up the rear. He took another great draught of her scent and paused stock still in the tunnel. No, he was not mistaken. Wolf felt his insides quiver in a strange manner and his skin prickle with a sudden rush of emotion. He had known this sensation once before.


	17. Chapter 17

Circle Of Sisters

17. _Upland, Underland_

Virginia straightened her back somewhat as she walked along. Ahead, the outline of Clayface the goblin led the way forward. Behind, Wolf's eyes bored into her. She didn't have to turn around to know she had his full and complete attention. She half fancied she could feel two spots of warmth on her shoulders where his stare tried to penetrate her, body and soul. Some hours, she guessed, had passed since their arguement, but after Wolf's revelation that time seemed to be passing at an accelerated rate down here, Virginia could not be sure. Maybe it had been days. It certainly seemed like an eternity. She longed suddenly for the sun, gripped momentarily with a panic that she would never see the light of day again. The voice who had been her companion had been silent for some time now. Virginia feared from time to time that she was walking into some elaborate trap, leading them all to an unpleasant end. Wolf had every reason to be angry with her, she thought unhappily as they trudged on through the earth. Under their feet, the path ran smooth and straight, the way still lit by the glowing fungus. There had been no sign nor sound of any other living creature. Clayface had told her that this was the 'kingdom' of the goblins, but it was a mystery to Virginia why they had yet to meet another. As if reading her thoughts, Clayface dropped back a little to walk beside her.

"Vast this place is, Miss Virginia. And old too. The uplanders like to think that they were the first to organise themselves into Kingdoms, but we goblins were here long before they"

"What about the Dwarves?"

"Oh, much later they began to delve the earth and cut the stone to build their underground cities. We have a good relationship with the dwarven folk. They stay within their mountains and stone ways, intent only on their secret crafts and rituals. We goblins stay within the good earth herself. Very little do we disturb Her process. Not like the dwarves, who tap and quarry and build. It's wonder that their whole Dragon Mountain still stands, so much have they mined out of it! But they are the master stone workers in the Kingdoms"

"And mirror makers too" Virginia commented, hoping for a tidbit of information about the mirrors that the lady had told her were ahead. She sensed the others listening to their conversation avidly.

"Ah yes, but they are relatively new to that endeavour"

"They are? But some of the mirrors I have heard about date back hundreds of years..."

"Oh yes. But the true mirrors of the world, they are far far older, and not created by mere mortal hands either. Rarely seen and talked about even less, but they are there still, Virginia" the goblin replied, looking back over his shoulder as if unsure how much to say in front of Wolf and the others. Virginia resisted the urge to follow his gaze. She didn't want to know what lay behind Wolf's eyes right now. Nor Elias' for that matter. Her werewolf maker had stared avidly at her when they had been reunited, risking Wolf's displeasure to do so but unable to hide it. Virginia had been suprised that Wolf had let it slide. Regardless of how angry he might be with her, she was sure that he still considered himself her mate in that particular male way he had which meant (in his mind anyway) having to deter other possible suitors. He lingered behind them now, whereas before he would have gone out of his way to place himself between her and Elias. Virginia felt yet another thrill of fear that she had wounded their relationship so deeply with her deception that he was truly considering leaving her. She shook her head, trying to dismiss the absurdity of that thought. He'd suffered far greater rejection and hurt at her hands, back when their romance was still very one sided and she had hurled his every effort back in his face. He hadn't given up on her then, she tried to reassure herself. But it was a terrible thing to realise that she had unconciously taken advantage of his 'undying devotion' to her.

Virginia drew her cloak close about her as the goblin stopped for a moment to change their course by taking them off the main tunnel and into the entrance of a smaller one that forked off to the left. She heard Will talk softly to Wolf in their native language and craned her neck slightly so she could look at them out of the corner of her eye. Even though he was quite a bit smaller and lighter than Wolf, Virginia had learned enough about body language to percieve that it was the older brother who was now the leader of the trio. Even Elias seemed to defer to him. Virginia was stunned, to say the least, and looked carefully at the three men. Something had happened between them, definately. Wolf, once the alpha through weight, size and dominance of will, was now clearly subservient. But only to Will did this extend, she realised. With Elias he still bristled, only now it seemed he could do nothing about it without his brother's assent. Wolf's eyes were baleful and downcast as he conversed with Will. Beside her, Clayface shifted from foot to foot. Taking her attention off posturing wolf's, Virginia looked at the goblin, who looked ill at ease.

"Are you alright Clayface? Is something wrong?" she asked quietly. The goblin's pale teeth showed clearly in the darkness.

"Yes, Miss Virginia. It's just, we're so close now..." he leaned in to whisper in her ear "to the first mirror. My Lady spoke of this to you, yes?"

"She did. Something about two to pass through...I think" Virginia whispered back, although the sharp hearing of the wolf's probably made it a useless exercise. Clayface hopped up and down in nervous agitation. He looked at her as if trying to prompt her to recall what else the 'Lady' had said. "Only me. That's what she said. Only I can pass through" Virginia continued, faltering. Behind her she heard Wolf hiss quietly in the gloom, but she couldn't determine whether it was in anger, fear or doubt. Likely all three. Clayface tugged at her sleeve.

"It's true. This is, a _female_, place. No male, of any species, can come here. It is forbidden"

"Forbidden" Virginia repeated, peering down the tunnel. It certainly didn't look any different than any other they had passed through. Virginia couldn't think of any real reason that Clayface would try and deceive them about it. She sighed loudly, feeling a rising tension in the group. This wasn't going to be easy. _This way, child, come_. Virginia nodded at the invisible voice only she could hear. She felt strong, adventurous, confident. This was the right way. She turned back to Wolf and the others who were waiting.

"I have to go on, alone" she spoke, hoping her voice sounded decisive. One by one she watched their reactions. Will, as she had guessed, simply shrugged his shoulders, smiling broadly at her to let her know without words that she had his full support. Virginia smiled back at him in gratitude, wondering where he had gotten his easy going and placid nature from when his younger brother seemed to lack it so vividly at times. Elias, hanging back in the shadows, let his own expression give his thoughts away. He looked stricken, just like a lover would look if the object of his ardour had declared the love over between them. Virginia resolutely avoided his beseeching stare. It made her intensely uncomfortable and she wished that Wolf would break out of whatever black mood he was in and protect her from it. But Wolf had turned his back. Clayface broke the sudden silence.

"I'll take the others upground, Miss Virginia. We can follow your progress over land and meet you" he said. "But we won't arrive at the same time I'll wager. Time passes differently down here, as you may have guessed. But you'll be safe. None will hinder your way. The Goddess has opened the path for you herself" he continued, his eyes gleaming with reverence as he looked at her. Virginia's heart suddenly lurched in her chest. The Goddess? This "Lady", the one who had been her unseen companion and who Virginia had come to find slightly annoying at times, she was a Goddess? The goblin nodded sagely as if guessing where her thoughts were going. Virginia felt sure her cheeks were burning with chagrin as she contemplated the new insight. She tightened her grip on the small pack on her back. Well, if a Goddess, no less, wished to meet her, then it wouldn't do to keep Her waiting. Clayface correctly interpreted her stance as agreement with his plan.

"Good then Miss Virginia. I'll lead the others back to you. Don't fear for them" he said, taking a few steps away back up the wider passage. Will immediately came forward to embrace Virginia in a tight hug and she found herself hugging him back hard, glad beyond words that he was there to keep Wolf in check and hopefully out of trouble.

"Take care, sister" he whispered in her ear, his brown eyes sparkling with warmth. He stepped back and gathered his small bag of supplies, before grabbing a firm hold of Elias' arm to usher him away. The werewolf opened his mouth as if to protest but then seemed to decide against it. He managed to ogle Virginia long and hard before Will got him out of view. Virginia made a silent resolve to plead or beg whatever cure the Lady might provide and bring it back to Elias, wherever they might meet again. She waited until their footsteps had faded away before she turned her attention back to Wolf. No less than a thousand and one ways of approaching this situation flew through her mind. Unable to decide what to do or say, she simply crossed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around him from behind. She clung to his back, breathing deep of his wonderful wolf scent, feeling the coarse guard hairs on his back crest scratch her cheek through his shirt fabric. The muscles of his back rose in tension and his breath came quick.

"I've hurt you" she said simply. His hand enclosed hers, almost tight enough to bruise. Wolf shifted in her embrace, turning to face her. His face was in shadows, only the lambent green glow from his eyes visible, boring into her soul. "I didn't mean to..." she tried to continue.

"Hush" he spoke, bringing his mouth down upon hers with considerable force. Virginia felt herself being pushed backwards and down to the floor under the intensity of his kiss. Part of her thought it likely he would take her then and there. It would be so like him to want to seek assurances from her in that way, and Virginia knew that she would be as equally likely to let him do so. He melded the length of his body against her, but his hands stayed on either side of her face as he finally released her mouth from it's delightful prison. "Forgive me" he whispered.

"Forgive you? For what Wolf? You've done nothing wrong. I'm the one, who, deceived..."

"I showed my teeth to you. In real anger. I shouldn't have done it. I frightened you, don't deny it, Virginia"

"For a moment only though. I don't blame you. I was angry too. If I had teeth like yours, you would have seen them, absolutely!" Virginia continued. For a long moment she took in Wolf's expression, seeing that he was indeed as mortified by their arguement as she had been. She made her mouth curve in a tentative smile, probing for a similar response from Wolf. He hesitated only a second, his own lip curling in a rueful smile.

"What a pair we are" he said softly. Virginia nodded her agreement, with relief, and other sensations, flooding through her body. She took a hold of his hands, firmly guiding them to those parts of her that craved their touch, and Wolf needed no second invitation. Afterwards, Virginia lay for a long time in his embrace, wrapped up in his long coat and his arms. He breathed deeply against the back of her neck. Though it was painful to do so, she broke their connection, sitting up and pulling on her various scattered items of clothing.

"I have to go Wolf"

"Don't. Please. I don't know what's down there..."

"Nor I, exactly. But nothing bad, nothing evil"

"How can you be sure?"

"I just know, Wolf. Can you trust me enough to let me do this? This, Goddess, that dwells down here, she has been speaking to me, calling me here, ever since I became aware of what I was. It doesn't matter that Hera spoke the same. I don't claim to know what her motives were in telling me, but in all likelihood I'd have come here anyway"

"I want to come with you, and stuff the 'forbidden' routine" Wolf said, pouting obstinately.

"No. It's something I have to do myself. You've known this all along, in your heart, no matter how you try and deny it. It's, like, a quest, or a test or something. I don't know why. Why me, why you, why now? Who knows Wolf?" Virginia continued, rubbing at his ever present new beard growth. He still looked unhappy, but she could tell she was winning him over to the idea. "Anyway, aren't you the one always going on about destiny? How is it that when I've finally accepted that it's gonna mess with me again, you've gone against the whole idea, hmm?"

"I haven't gone against it" Wolf replied, looking about them as if trying to placate the spirits. "I just don't like what's happening to you. You've changed, and not just in the most obvious ways. All of a sudden I find myself almost unneeded as your protector and I don't know how to be anything different. It annoys the wolf in me no end to see you come so close to death and then to rise up so strong and decisive. I think my male ego was looking forward to a long period of weakness and recovery on your part. It's stupid, and unfair, I know, but that's what's happened"

"It's not stupid. It's just you. I know you well enough Wolf for this not to be such a suprise. But maybe that is what you'll have to learn from all this. And don't think for a minute that I still don't need you. You're much more to me than just a 'protector'. You're everything to me..." Virginia answered truthfully.

"I love you too"

"I know, but I have to do this. And when I'm done and we're back, happy in our home, I'll even let you boss me around. From time to time..."

"Really?"

"I promise" she replied, pulling him close to her for a final embrace. It was a long time before either of them could let go. Eventually Virginia extricated herself and stood, hauling Wolf to his feet. She could tell from the look on his face that he was still unnerved that she could manhandle him so easily now. A certain physical respect for her floated in his eyes now. And something else.

"I'm going now" she said, voicing her thoughts aloud. "Is there anything else you want to say before I go?" she continued, fishing for the secret so obvious in his stance. Wolf shuffed minutely before he stilled himself, shaking his head.

"No, beloved girl. Only that I love you. I'll be with you again. Soon" he responded, uncomfortable now. Virginia almost decided to get upset over his blatant omission, but discovered that she just didn't have the heart for it. Whatever it was, she didn't want to start another fight about it. No doubt it was to do with whatever had happened between him and Will. Half-wolf business, men's stuff. Wolf turned to go and follow the others, a small smile playing on his lips.

"See you soon" she whispered, alone now in the dark underground world. It was so still and silent Virginia could hear her own heartbeat thudding in a mixture of trepidation and elation. She shifted the small pack on her back, knowing that Clayface had stuffed it full of the goblin travelling food and drink. It made her wonder how long she'd be wandering down here alone. But it was reassuring in a way, that she would be alone should the new moon rising catch up with her. At least her monster-self, should it come to pass, would be able to run loose down here. No danger to Wolf, or anyone else she loved. She felt a pang in her body as she visualised her baby son, far away in a castle, waiting for her to return to him. Yes, she owed it to Caelum to try and rid herself of the werewolf's touch, she thought, firming her resolve in her mind. Hoisting the pack, she turned to face the passage that Clayface had indicated. It looked no different from any other, but she could not deny the strange pulling sensation, drawing her feet forward. The warm spicy scent of roses wafted down the tunnel and Virginia smiled in gratitude, guessing correctly that she who loved roses more than any other had perhaps sent it to ease the way ahead.

"Thank you, Snow" she breathed aloud, taking her first steps, away from the comfort and security of Wolf and everything he represented. From a small corner of her mind, she sensed a quiet approval.

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Elias could not deny that the fresh air and sudden sunlight on his face went some way towards easing his inner pain at being separated from Virginia. Almost. He tried to focus on his immediate surroundings, even though most of his attention tried to pull him, down, into the earth below his feet, where Virginia wandered alone. The bond between them, the one that Elias felt so strongly and Virginia did her best to ignore, was pulled as tight as a bowstring. Yet it would never break, no matter the distance between them, Elias knew that now. And Virginia could not ignore it forever, surely. One day, sometime in the future, she would look upon him with acknowledgement of it. She would turn to him for the love and understanding that only he, as another werewolf, could provide. Elias knew his heart to be a traitorous thing.

Beside him, the half-wolf Willem sat crouched, patiently waiting for Wolf to catch them up. They had followed the goblin creature for several more miles under the ground, before a faint light had become apparent. There had been some tricky moments as the goblin had squeezed himself effortlessly through a small culvert, his green hand gesturing for them to follow. Will had gone first, his small frame sliding through easily enough, but Elias had had a number of near panicking moments as he tried to force his much larger body through the opening. Just as he was about to give up and try and go back, two sets of hands had appeared to haul him throught the last few feet. Elias had emerged, covered in mud and slime, like a cork from a bottle. It had taken him quite a few minutes of heavy breathing to settle himself afterwards. The goblin had grinned knowingly at him.

"We goblins call these openings 'grisn', which you humans might call a 'birth canal', yes?". Elias had found himself agreeing with the description. It _had _been like being born, all over again. The fresh air and bright light had assaulted his senses after so long in the dark. It was late afternoon, and cooling. After his eyes had adjusted to the light, Elias saw that they had come out into forested lands. The trees were well spaced, with plenty of sunlight dappling the grass, so it was nothing like the disenchanted forest that Elias had come to know well. It seemed an orderly, quiet place, almost like a...

"Royal Estate" said Will, looking furtive all of a sudden.

"King Wendell's Estate?" asked Elias. Will looked him up and down strangely, then shaking his head.

"Ah, no. 'Fraid not. Unless I'm very mistaken, this is a part of Red Riding Hood Forest". Elias rubbed at his aching back, trying to remember the maps he had glimpsed of the layout of the Kingdoms. Hadn't he seen this forest marked somewhere quite a way from Wendell's palace? A splashing sound distracted him and he turned to see Clayface dunking himself in a small pond which pooled very close to where they had come out. The goblin was nodding earnestly at both of them.

'Yes, yes, very good master half-wolf. This is the Second Kingdom. Not far from the border, but this is indeed the southernmost reach of that forest" he said, blowing bubbles under the water as he paddled about. Beside him, Will huffed and continued to nod quietly to himself.

"I thought as much. I've travelled this land many times, but in the north for the most part, where live most of my kindred" he said, before leaning in to speak in Elias' ear. "Few wolf's would dare to venture down this far. These are the Riding Hood's lands and forests. We shall need to take care here, Elias" he continued. Elias nodded his agreement, filing this important information away. Knowing that half-wolfs were not welcome here could prove to be a useful thing to know. He did his best to look concerned.

"The Riding Hoods? As in Little Red of the fairy tale?"

"Yes, that's them. Well, the original little girl is long since departed, but in her adulthood she did go on to become a great queen, by human standards anyway. She and Gretel the Great founded this Kingdom and now their descendants sit upon the dual thrones. Some say that the two families are not as close as they once were. They have never warred against each other, no, but rumours and gossip always travel the paths of this land"

"And wolf's are not welcome here?"

"Not here, certainly. We're within a days ride of Hooded Castle. Further south, in Gretel's lands, we are more tolerated, but even there wolfies must watch their steps"

"Weren't you and Wolf born and raised here?"

"We certainly were. This Kingdom had always been the traditional homeland of all wolven races. It was here that the first pairings of humans and wolves were formed, leading to our half-wolf peoples. This forest stretches the whole length of the Kingdom from east to west, and if you were to travel through the breadth of it, you would come out eventually into the far northern reaches. It's a great expanse of woods, moors, fields and valleys. A hard land, but wolf's have always thrived there"

"But this forest effectively cuts your people off from the rest of the Kingdoms then" Elias surmised, trying to picture in his mind the lie of the land.

"Yes, but only if a wolf allows it to be so" replied Will, looking as sly as any wolf might. "After the childhood drama's of Little Red, she made it her life's work to tame this land. Humans flocked to her and built great cities and towns all through the woods, clearing and felling as they went. Nowadays, most of Hooded Forest is just like this. Nice, tame, orderly. And yet the humans wonder why their forests no longer support wild game for their hunting sprees, and so every year they encroach further and further into the wolfen territories, clearing the land for their farms and cattle"

"There must be a great deal of conflict in those parts"

"On occasion, but it's usually small scale. Lynch mobs, burnings, cattle theiving, sheep poaching. Especially in winter, when all feel the pinch"

"I would hardly equate being burnt at the stake with sheep poaching" Elias said, raising his eyebrows at Will's description of 'small scale' reprisals. Will's face clouded over and Elias immediately regretted his words, recalling too late the manner of Will's parents' deaths. "I'm sorry" he murmered into the sudden silence. Will nodded brusquely, but turned his back to peer back down the grisn. Nearby, the goblin had finished his bath and was now studiously applying slick brown mud to the back of his neck and his ears.

"Sunscreen" he said in response to Elias' silent query. "We goblins have sensitive skin you know". Elias looked down at his own mud streaked clothing. It would be good to bathe away the dirt, but he was unsure of how cold it would get with nightfall coming on. He picked absently at the bits of mud that had dried on his hands. Beside him, Will was down on his haunches, listening intently down the hole in the ground.

"My brother comes" he said after a good few minutes. Elias tried to keep the elation out of his expression. He had been hoping Virginia would turn her lupine lover away, and he knew what a blow that would be to Wolf. Elias had heard every word of their earlier arguement. He knew that Virginia was gaining more and more independance and personal strength and he also knew that it was his werewolf touch that had been responsible. It was just like what had happened to he himself, all those years ago in the French countryside. Mental and physical strength, decisiveness, concentration and dominance over others. All these, and many more, now flowed through Virginia, gifts, tools to be used. Elias had embraced them, and they had taken him from a reserved, somewhat timid young man, to a brilliant, even ruthless businessman. He had made his fortune within five years. He had enjoyed his success, revelling in his ability to control and influence people without their being aware of it. _So why try and cast that away, Elias? _his subconcious mind whispered to him. Elias was dismayed to find that he had no answer now. It had all seemed like a good idea at the time. Just a wave of the magic wand, and hey presto! Of course none of it had worked out as they had planned it, and ever since that fateful day, Elias had had to come to terms with the knowledge that he was not at all displeased with what had happened. Of course, at first he had been shocked, horrifed even. He had recoiled from Wolf and his tidings like he had carried the plague. But, deep within Hera's swampy tomb, he had come to realise he had been given an opportunity like no other. His own mate, a beautiful woman with unique gifts just like his own. Together they could run the length and breadth of this fairytale world, and none would stand before them...

"...hoy there Elias! Stop daydreaming, man, come give us a hand here!". It was Will, of course, lying flat on the earth, his arm reaching back into the hole. From under the ground came a long string of wolfish curses. Elias sighed deeply, masking his irritation as he went forward. He brushed aside the small goblin and reached down to grasp the other of Wolf's hands that protruded from the grisn. It took much grunting heaving and cursing before they managed to free the big half-wolf from his earthy prison. Elias stepped back as Wolf popped out with sudden rush of mud and water. Wolf lay gasping like a hooked fish and Elias felt carefully of his wounded shoulder, sure that he had opened the axe wound again with all the effort. Under his fingers it felt closed still, though a warm trickle of blood seeped out from under the scabs. He flexed his shoulder experimentally, happy that he still seemed to have nearly full movement in it. Elias knew that he was still in a physically vulnerable state, in comparison to the ever angry Wolf who still looked like he wanted to murder him. Elias cast down his pride filled eyes, not wanting to provoke the half-wolf. Even though Will had in essence taken over the alpha position, limiting Wolf's behaviour somewhat, Elias did not fool himself into thinking that Wolf would not pass up an opportunity to do him harm if one presented itself. He would have to be very, very careful over the next few days. His one time 'brother' hated him now with a passion, and Elias knew all about what _that_ felt like.


	18. Chapter 18

Circle Of Sisters

18. _The Second Kingdom_

The path sloped gently downwards. Virginia had no trouble finding her way forward, thanks to the faint light, but after a time she became aware of light of a different kind. It was soft still, muted as if coming from far away, but it was pulsing with colours. Virginia guessed that several hours and miles had passed by since she had parted from Wolf, although she recalled that Wolf had told her that time passed very differently down here. She had stopped every now and then to rest and eat a little of the food Clayface had left in her pack. The sweet, bread like fungus satisfied her most basic needs, but she had found her mind wandering a little, distracted by the memories of fresher, more human food. Her mouth watered as she recalled the taste of roasted lamb, visualising it cut open, steaming red blood flowing...

Virginia stopped short in disgust at herself. Cripes, was she getting a taste for blood now? Would she be tussling with Wolf and Caelum over the rare meat on the table? Her skin crawled at the thought of it. She drew out her small flask, sipping from the tepid water to try and alleviate the taste from her mouth that her mind had created. Virginia decided to rest a little and settled herself on the floor, easing her aching feet. A soft popping sound drew her attention, one similar to others she had heard. She had yet to discern the source of the noise, but suspected that other goblin folk were spying on her from time to time. Clayface had explained that they had passed several openings to goblin dwellings, but Virginia had been unable to see them even when he stood and pointed one out. Maybe the pops were a goblin door held ajar for a second, the owner of the same peering out to see whoever passed by. But she hadn't been challenged, nor spoken to by anygoblin, for which Virginia was grateful. She just hoped that if the worst came to pass, that she wouldn't hurt or maim any of these shy, secretive people.

Rising once more, she continued downwards. The scents of roses continued to waft up to meet her. Soon it became apparent that the coloured light had completely eclipsed the silver fungus light, and yet Virginia still could not see the source of it. Her senses told her that she was coming into a much larger space than the confining tunnels of the goblin world. She could hear the distant echoes of her feet reverberating from a high roof ahead. Almost at once, with little warning, the passage stopped abruptly. Virginia very nearly fell off the end before she realised that she was seeing a reflection ahead of her. Like a giant mirror spread out across the floor of a vast cavern, she could see the stalagtites hanging from the ceiling imaged below her feet. The surface of the mirror was completely smooth. Virginia went on to her knees, leaning over to stare into the depths. She touched a finger, barely brushing the surface when she realised her error. It was not a mirror of glass and metal, but of water. She smiled ruefully at her own reflection.

"Welcome, Virginia". It was the Lady's voice once more, but it came not from within Virginia's mind, as it had before, but from all directions at once. "I am Coventina, and I am the Goddess Of The Waters" the voice continued. Virginia noticed that the water vibrated very gently with each word of the Goddess. A Goddess. She was suddenly very glad that she was on her knees still, even though she had never held to the idea that deities required endless worship and obseience from mortals. But her tongue was struck senseless in her attempt at a reply. What does one say when one meets a Goddess? A sigh rippled the water.

"I, ah, I mean, I'm pleased to meet you..." Virginia finally stammered, cringing inwardly at her crude attempts at conversation. She sensed a quiet humour from Coventina.

"And we are pleased to meet you, in the flesh, Virginia. We have been seeking you a long time, beautiful one". Virginia felt herself blushing. She wondered who the 'we' referred to, but dared not ask. The Goddess continued. "This is one of my Water-Mirrors. First of all magics these are. Your metal and sand are but poor copies, warped and influenced by those who make them. But we can discuss these things when you come before me. But for now, as I said, you must pass through. This, then another, and one more after that. Do you accept the challenge, Virginia?". Virginia had a thousand questions running through her mind, but she understood the ritualistic cadence of the Goddess' words. Yes, or No. Simple as that, Virginia, she thought to herself.

"I accept"

"I was hoping you would" Coventina replied, and once more Virginia heard the hidden laughter in the words, but at the same time, she knew it not to be malicious or unkind. Perhaps the 'we' that had been referred to had been placing bets as to whether she would take up the challenge or not. Well, she didn't want to disappoint those who might have money on her. The water didn't look particularly dangerous in itself at least.

"What will I find within the Water-Mirrors?" she asked, feeling slightly bolder.

"This one, what would have been. There is a thing you must come to know, in order for you to release that which holds you back. In the next, what is, where you will come to know your weakness. And finally, when you come before us, you may look into the final mirror and see there the reality of the future"

"Do you know Dickens, by chance?"

"Dickens?"

"It doesn't matter. I'll do it, Coventina. But, how do I enter?" Virginia asked aloud. Her voice sounded small in the vastness of the underground cavern. But there was no response from the Goddess, and Virginia sensed that she had withdrawn, leaving her to figure things out for herself. Of course. It would be too much to expect of this place that there be a set of instructions, she thought, hoping she wasn't about to be struck by a bolt of lightning for her temerity. Virginia looked from one side to the other, seeking something that might look like an entrance, or even a magic button that might reveal an opening into the mirror. There was nothing, of course, not even a set of steps leading down to the water. Standing once more, Virginia surveyed the only obvious option left. She stripped off her heavy boots, folding them up within the pile of her clothing, putting her cloak over the bundle. Her naked skin raised in goosebumps despite the warm air. Virginia took a moment to survey her long wound scar. It was completely healed over now, with barely a line to show where it had been. Virginia didn't like the look of it specifically for that reason. She felt that there should be more of a reminder on her flesh of the torment done to her soul. She could only hope that the werewolf's touch could be so easily removed from her blood.

She walked to the very edge of the water. There was no bottom to be seen, no indication of depth. From below, her own reflection stared back up at her. Virginia frowned at it for a moment. Had she always been so pale, so worn looking? No wonder Wolf's protective instincts had kicked into overdrive recently. She looked like she could barely fight off a determined kitten. But her appearance belied what she knew to be the truth. She was far stronger now, more in tune with the world. More decisive and focussed. Was it the werewolf influence that had wrought these changes, or were they simply her reaction to it's presence? Virginia hoped she would find out soon. Taking a deep breath, she stepped off the ledge and sank immediately to the bottom of the water-mirror.

Gasping, she woke up in bed.

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Wolf had never been so glad to see the blue sky over his head. It wasn't technically his favourite vista to gaze upon (that being a moonlit sky) but for the moment he could only lie puffing on the soft ground and admire it. The last part of his journey back to the surface had been an immensely tight squeeze, and he doubted if he'd been able to make it without the help of Will and Elias. These same two stood nearby, waiting patiently until he got his breath again. Wolf tore off a hank of grass beside him and used it to clean off his face the mud. That done, he rolled himself to a sitting position, taking a good look at their new surroundings for the first time.

Open woodland, not unlike Wendell's royal forest that abutted his castle in the 4th Kingdom. But his internal compass, his wolfie instincts, told him that he was quite a way from Castle White. Wolf glanced over at his brother, seeing the older half-wolf standing, seemingly at ease but on closer inspection revealing himself to be very on edge indeed. Wolf's own blood thrummed with a sense he had come to recognize, though it had been almost a lifetime since he had been here. The 2nd Kingdom. The ancestral home of his people. Riding Hood Forest, where he now surmised they were, had once, in the depths of time, been known as Wolf Woods, and the lands surrounding it were almost purely their domain, the Wolf Hills. Ancient history that was, Wolf knew. Legends told to cubs around winter fires when the snow piled deep. No human children ever learned the tales though. Their own history started from that fateful day in the forest when a young girl had gone a-visiting her grandmother.

"So just how did Little Red become a queen?". It was Elias speaking, directing his question at Will. It made Wolf realise just how much a stranger to this land Elias was. He listened to Will as he explained basic history to the man.

"Well, back in those days, nearly two hundred years ago, of course, there were many little kingdoms, spread throughout this land. Princes vied for the hands of fair maidens on a daily basis. When Little Red, whose real name was Ruby, had her first and only encounter with wolf kind, she was not quite as young as the humans would have us believe. Anyway, as word of her 'fame' spread, many royal son's left their lands to try and win her heart, in spite of the fact that she was no longer even a maiden, which is a thing that humans prize mightily, as you know..."

"So she had had, umm, relations with the wolf?" stammered Elias.

"Well, of course. How else would she have brought about his defeat?" said Will in response. "But, that's another story. And not one to be told in this part of the Kingdom at any rate! Anyway, sweet little Ruby could have her pick of the Princes, and she chose one very similar in mien to herself. But she would never ride away with him to his own Kingdom. Instead she used her considerable charms to convince her new husband to remain in the land of her birth. They established their castle right on the very spot where her grandmother's cottage had been. Over the nearly hundred year reign of Queen Riding Hood, she gathered a great many wolf-fearing humans together and they built the great city of Hooded, and many other smaller towns besides. When Ruby heard of the deeds of Gretel the Great, she was at first greatly incensed and jealous and sought to make war upon the newer Kingdom. But Gretel herself came in person to Hood Castle. Somehow, and we never knew exactly how, she managed to broker peace between the two of them. They divided the new Kingdom between themselves and over the years came to be great friends and allies. Only on the wolf issue did they disagree. Ruby was all for wiping us out, but Gretel, who with her brother Hansel, was far more tolerant. No wolf had ever attacked the frightened children who had been abandoned in the woods that day, she said often to her followers. Even though it would have been easy to do so. So Gretel came to be greatly respected by the wolfen people, thus in a sense making her own words be true, for her own people at least"

"But not so for the people of Riding Hood?"

"No. Ruby had several children, and into them she instilled her loathing of wolf-kind, and they in turn raised their own children thus. Now, Scarlett, who is Ruby's eldest surviving grandaughter, sits the throne, as hateful and disapproving of our people as she who bred her"

"How came Ruby to have so much enmity for the wolf's? Surely the child was not molested by this wolf...?" Elias asked, his face turning pale even as he spoke. Wolf snorted in disgust. How typical. Elias glanced at him sideways but did not comment on it. Wolf let Will answer.

"As I said. She was no child. A maiden certainly, but plenty old enough to make her own decisions. But, as I said also, this is not the place or time to discuss this. We are deep in Riding Hood territory. We'll consider ourselves lucky to pass through without detection" Will stated. Elias looked like he wanted to take up the debate further. Wolf could see him biting back words, but whatever he wanted to say he kept to himself as Will turned to address the goblin. "Where do we go, goblin friend? Will you not enlighten us further?". Wolf found himself admiring his older brother's stance. It was stated as a polite question, but the goblin would have heard the silent command in his voice. Wolf watched the strange green creature, wondering if he would have also heard the gentle threat in Will's words. Evidently he had, for he straightened immediately from whatever he'd been grubbing in the mud for.

"Very good, master wolf. If it pleases you, we shall be following the Ruby River westwards for a time"

"How long?" Wolf asked.

"Difficult to say. In underland time, perhaps only a few hours. Upland, maybe some days at least" Terrific, thought Wolf uneasily. The Ruby River was the main waterway of the land, connecting all the human settlements in the northern half of the Kingdom. It would be well populated with traders and travellers at this time of year, making the final few voyages before winter descended. They would have to use every little bit of wolfie cunning to get through this hostile territory unnoticed. He met his brother's eyes, seeing the same doubts there as was in his own, but coupled with a tinge of humour. Yes, it would be very, _naughty_, to try and creep through the Red's lands. Will's mouth curled in a half smile, and Wolf's matched it. Then he sighed quietly, looking to the man Elias, who was busily brushing the dried mud from his raggedly clothes. Wolf knew the werewolf had some woodcraft, but he suspected the man would be a liability anyway. He wished wholeheartedly that he could just drop the annoying creature in some bog hole. Whatever sentiment that had possessed Virginia to insist on Elias' tagging along on this little quest, Wolf knew he didn't share nor understand. He couldn't even be bothered to pretend otherwise anymore.

Wolf stood to go over to the small pool of water that the goblin had been paddling in. Spending a few minutes washing the dirt from his hands gave him a space with which to still the rapid pounding of his heart that had started at the thought of Virginia. He could hear Will quizzing Clayface some more regarding their final destination, but he let him try and sort that out. Wolf thought he could guess anyway. He brought the lapel of his coat up to his nose, breathing deeply of her scent, her totally unique feminine scent that could drive him wild. His stomach did flip flops and he knew that other parts of him would probably have been doing the same had she not granted him access to her when they had parted just now. Wolf smiled at his reflection. She loved him still. She knew him in many ways, better than he knew himself. He scratched at his half grown beard, thinking that he would do well to clean himself up a bit before he saw her again, regardless. The water looked inviting, but one look at the sky told him it was much too late in the day to get soaked. There was a distinct chill in the air. It smelled like winter was coming early this year, although Wolf reminded himself that he had not lived this far north in many years. He lifted his head to look in that direction. Yes, travel north from this spot, a little east, then north again, for a span of seven days or so, he would come to...his home. His birthplace. The lands of his people, his own kindred. Wolf felt drawn there suddenly, though he both did and did not want to go there ever again.

No matter. The river and their destination lay in another direction entirely and Wolf would follow Virginia to the end, as he had promised. He wondered what she was doing right at this moment. He hoped that whatever task or testing the water-Goddess had planned would not be too hard on her. She had been through so much already, in fact she was barely recovered from Elias' attack on her. Wolf was mildly surprised that he had actually let her go on without him. It had warred with every instinct within him to leave her there in the darkness. Even now he found himself considering going back down the hole and tracking her. He didn't quite believe the goblin's warning that male's were 'forbidden' access to the Goddess. He suspected that Clayface had told them that simply to give Virginia an excuse to go on alone, but the goblin had not reckoned on Wolf's strong sense of honour. He would always do as Virginia bid him. He just hoped that his delectable mate knew what she was doing.

A small cough-growl brought his attention back to the present. Will stood nearby, looking down on Wolf with an air of expectation. Elias had already moved off, following the goblin. Wolf could hear the faint rushing sound of the river and guessed it to be a mile away or more. There were some obvious signs that this area was well populated with humans. Woodsmoke from a cottage or hamlet. Hoof prints of horses on the forest floor. Odour of farm dogs.

"We should do most of our travelling at night" he said, thinking aloud, although Willem would have already planned that aspect. His brother continued to gaze at him levelly. "What?" asked Wolf.

"You didn't tell her". Wolf felt the blood rush to his face at Will's statement.

"No, I didn't" he replied, with a flat stare that was not quite a challenge on his face. Will smiled broadly.

"Huff puff, you're going to be in so much trouble when you see her again" he said, still grinning. Wolf smiled back ruefully, knowing the truth of it. Will came forward to haul him to his feet, tousling his hair despite their height difference. They moved forward quickly, catching up to the others as night settled over the Riding Hood forest.

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The emissary that had come to the court of Queen Riding Hood the Third earlier that day was like none that any had seen before. Scarlett, the eldest granddaughter of Ruby, sat on the wooden throne with some difficulty at concealing her boredom. Or her sore posterior for that matter. Still, for all the attendant discomforts, her hands still rested lovingly on the well worn arms of the great seat. She caressed the smooth woodwork, knowing every little knot and whorl as well as she knew the back of her hand. Scarlett recalled playing upon it as a child, taking turns with her younger siblings to 'dare' each other into sitting for a span of time, even though they knew it was a forbidden thing. Scarlett had always had something of a sixth sense when it came to the approaching of parents, guards, servants and the like, and so had always been able to avoid the sound spanking that came with being caught out on the throne. Now, as a grown woman, she had quickly learned that none dared chastise her, not even her aged mother. Auburn had stepped down from the high seat less than ten years ago. Now, as the various petitioners came forward, pleading their cases for the Queen's judgement, favour, or boon, Scarlett found herself dreaming about whether any child of hers would ever play in the grand throne room. Would any daughter of hers ever hide behind the tapestries, stifling laughter at her siblings efforts to explain themselves?

An attendant, whose name she had never bothered to remember, coughed politely into his hand. Scarlett wondered whether to let her irritation show on her face. A woman stood before her, a peasant from one of the outlying villages north of the river. Wolves had stolen some of her hard-won fattened piglets, the woman was saying. The woman was asking for a garrison of soldiers to be set up in that locale, to provide a deterrent to the wolves. And to catch and string up the most recent culprits, thought Scarlett, though neither she nor the peasant woman would ever say so aloud, in court. No, not in these days at least. Wolves had been garnering a certain following in some parts of the Kingdom, mostly due to the efforts of one of their kind in recent times. Although Scarlett enjoyed an absolute power as ruler of the Northern Second Kingdom, she knew, as did her most trusted advisors, that it was far better to be a peaceful Queen of _all_ the people, rather than a harrassed ruler of a select few. In public at least.

Scarlett nodded, barely, at the woman. "It shall be done, good woman. Return now to your holding, knowing that the Queen will always step forth in times of need" she said. Several of the courtiers present hummed and ahhed in apparent agreement with her pronoucement, though Scarlett doubted that they were even truly listening. Just mouthing polite nothings at a great deal of dull nothingness. The queen stifled a ripple of anger, but she couldn't really blame them. These days, when once a month she sat and heard supplications from the common folk were tiresome in the extreme. Why some folk felt the need to travel all the way to court to ask her to settle a simple boundary dispute, she never knew. Perhaps they just wanted to see her. It was a tradition anyway, in all of the Kingdoms, and Scarlett didn't want to be the one to be accused of not following tradition. It was one thing her family prided itself on.

A small silver bell chimed, an indication to the court that the matter had been dealt with. At least on the surface, thought Scarlett, watching the back of the departing goodwife. Where she would find the means to persuade the retinue of soldiers to travel north and spend the winter in the sometimes hostile frontiers was another matter entirely. She shifted in her seat to hear the page announce the next, and hopefully last, supplicant. The boy stammered slightly, obviously confused at his missive.

"Umm, ahh, a man, a visitor to the Kingdom, seeks an audience with Your Highness. He carries tidings of great importance, he says". Scarlett sighed. No doubt another pilgrim with an air of self-importance, claiming great secrets or strategies, trying to win a place in court. Or more. Perhaps another potential suitor? Scarlett felt that her advisors would be pleased that she was even considering seeking a husband, considering how bruised her heart had been in recent times. Yet none of those closest to her knew of her hidden pain, and longing. The man appeared at the entrance to the hall and strode down the aisle with an almost unseemly haste. Courtiers twittered like birds. Scarlett took one long, apraising look at the man, dismissing him immediately as anyone worthy of her hand. He was slight, dressed in mismatched leggings and tunic, rough hat of brown wool smashed down over his forehead. A totally nondescipt man, except for one thing. He wore a strange mask, made entirely of what looked like reeds and twigs. It covered his whole face, with only small openings apparent for eyes, nose and mouth. Scarlett was intrigued in spite of herself. The man stopped obediantly at the guard's dropped lance that prevented any from getting closer to the throne.

"Speak, man" said one of her attendants.

"A missive, for the Queen" said the man briefly in response. He had a strange manner of speaking, an accent Scarlett had not heard before. He bent forward now, proferring a small tightly bound scroll. At a nod from Scarlett, one of her guards went forward to retrieve the scroll, bowing deep over her hand as he presented it to her. Scarlett examined the bindings and seals on the missive. They looked untouched. A blob of red wax with a tiny shard of mirror embedded in it fell away as she opened the scroll and read what was written there.

The Queen of the North Second Kingdom was silent for a long time upon the throne. Eventually she rose, descending from the dias to sweep past into the rear of the great hall. Her long ruby cloak trailed after her like a river of blood.


	19. Chapter 19

Circle Of Sisters

19. _The Queen's New Gown_

_It could scarcely be called a bed, but it was all that Virginia had known for a long time. Exactly how long was impossible to tell. In the early days, Virginia had scratched a tally of marks into the stone walls, each mark a measure of firstly, her despair, then later, her hatred. Now, she was dulled, her mind and spirit conformed to their existence just as the rough straw mattress had conformed to the shape of her body._

_She stared at the stonework above her head, allowing her eyes to run over the minute cracks, forming them into odd shaped random patterns. One day she would exhaust all the possible combinations of cracks and lines. Then, she would have to haul her cot over to some other part of the tiny dungeon cell that had been her home since the ill-fated coronation ball. The slender spike of sunlight that struck her western cell wall every day was nonexistent this morning. Dark heavy clouds covered the sky, or at least that fraction of sky that Virginia could see from the high barred window. That window lay the cell open to the elements all year round. Snow had come in last winter, Virginia recalled. There was a distinct chill in the air that suggested there might be more snow today, even though it was barely the end of summer. She stirred under the coarse blanket, knowing she should get up and at least go through the motions of her normal routine. The grim faced guard would be bringing the prisoner's rations soon._

_Virginia got up and paced the half dozen paces, stamping her feet to get some warmth into them. She fingered her thin blanket, but she wouldn't dare to ask for an extra one, not after last time. She craned her neck against the cold bars, peering down the gloomy corridor. Several feet away lay her father's cell, then beyond that was Wendell's confinement. Virginia could hear them moving around with as much effort as she was doing. But she didn't speak or call out to them. Wendell had stopped speaking altogether months ago. And it had been weeks since Virginia had been able to muster enough energy to talk to her father._

_The familiar creak of the door at the far end of the corridor announced the guard approaching, towing a small hand cart. Steam wafted from under poor fitting lids that covered the food, and Virginia's mouth watered in spite of herself. So, hot food today. What a nice change. The guard shoved her plate through the narrow access hatch, neither looking directly at her nor speaking as was his custom. Virginia had come to know his face well regardless. He was one of those most loyal to the Queen. Virginia had watched him take blades to the drugged guests, finishing that day that which the Queen had planned all along. When he had straightened from his grisly task, blood dripping from his gold shirt buttons, Wendell the Dog Imposter had been the only one left alive. The Queen had forced the change on the imposter, shoving a cowering Wendell back into his human form. That was the last proper look Virginia had gotten of the former heir to the Fourth Kingdom. She and the prince had been hauled away to the dungeons, to be joined shortly thereafter by her father. But in those long seconds, before she had disappeared from the world forever, Virginia had had eyes only for one other soul in that room. Wolf had been overpowered, finally, and was face down on the floor, held down by a dozen or so men at arms. The dead legs of the Huntsman still partially covered him. The blood from the murdered royalty had flowed over the tile floor and his fancy red uniform was soaked in it._

_That was the last time she had seen him._

_Virginia's hands trembled slightly as she lifted the lid, revealing a good sized portion of food. Despite it's lacking in presentation and flavour, it was good food, plain but satisfying enough to Virginia. She sat on the floor cross legged and pulled sections of the food apart, eating methodically. Whatever plans the Queen had for Virginia, starvation was evidently not one of them. Nor poison, her oft boasted method of elimination. Some days Virginia almost wished for poison, concealed or otherwise. A deadly apple on a silver platter? Yes, thank you very much, mother. Virginia heard herself saying such a thing. Almost on cue, the door opened once more, and the telltale swish of rich fabrics heralded the presence of the Queen. Virginia sighed, but continued with her meal. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the deep green velvet cloak as it draped across the floor. It must be a new gown, this one, Virginia surmised, for she had not seen that particular pattern of embroidery before. Odd that she should notice details like that. Virginia saw that a tiny speck of dried mud had adhered to the skirt and she felt a certain satisfaction, even though she pitied the poor servant whose hide would be thrashed when her increasingly fastidious mother caught sight of it._

_Then Virginia heard a sound that made her breath catch. A soft sound, something like a cat's purr, only she knew it was no feline rumble, but lupine. The growl was punctuated with little gurgle's that any human mother would recognize. Damn you, mother, that she should think to taunt me like this, Virginia cursed under her breath. But she couldn't help it. She had to look. Just a glimpse. Caelum stared down at her from the Queen's arms, his green eyes flat and unknowing as they met her's. Virginia dropped her gaze, unable to bear the realisation. He doesn't even know me, she thought. But then, why would he? Traumatic as it had been, he would have no memories of his birth. He would not have remembered the mixture of love and loathing on his grandmother's face as she lifted him from his mother's body, nor his mother's screams as he was borne away, nor the sharpness of the knife that had severed the tiny tail..._

_Virginia shuddered from her position of powerlessness. Cold iron bars were all that prevented her from reclaiming her son. The Queen tutted loudly, and Caelum imitated it the way infants often do._

_"Come now, girl. Have you no manners, not even for the next ruler of all the Kingdoms?" she said, her voice as cold and unfeeling as ever. Virginia's heart rushed a minute. So, she had made Caelum her heir. It was not really a surprise, given that the Queen was beyond bearing age and her only other surviving relative lingered in the dungeons of Castle White. But there was small hope that Caelum would mature into anything but his false mother's protege, even if Virginia lived long enough to see him come to power._

_"What do you want?" Virginia responded dully._

_"Why, just to spend time with my would-be daughter. Is that so surprising to you?". Virginia risked another glance, surprised at her mother's attempt at normal conversation. Usually she just stood there and ranted about how glorious was her reign, how much power she had over all the Kingdoms, how small and insignificant Virginia was. Christine looked little different than she had a year ago. Her long auburn hair was bound up, the long comb that Virginia had been unable to wield securing it in place. Still a beautiful, proud woman, feared from one end of the lands to the other. Virginia had gleaned little information about the state of the Kingdoms, but she suspected that those minor nobilities that had survived were either huddled together in random outposts, or had cheerfully handed over their allegiances for a share in the new regime. But today, something was different. The Queen's face, always so smooth and mask like, now betrayed the finest of lines about mouth and forehead. Virginia bit back her own surprised expression at this. So, something was worrying her mother. But Christine, at once percieving that Virginia had seen this, forced a horrid smile of indifference to her frozen features._

_"Something's gone wrong" Virginia said, unable to avoid the chance to goad her mother._

_"Don't be ridiculous girl. I am all powerful now. None deny me my due. Even you" The Queen replied, but every inch of her body belied her words. Virginia wondered if her mother even knew that she lied to herself as she spoke. Christine had half turned, and Virginia thought that she might storm out as she had done so many times before. But she was not finished with Virginia today, it seemed. "Do you remember, girl, when you were small? I used to come into your room, late at night and I would rub the fur from my coat against your cheek. Did you think, then, that I loved you?" she began, her hand absently stroking the collar of her robe. Virginia did indeed remember, but she dared not say so. The Queen continued to ramble aloud. "Of course, it was the fur that I loved. There's a certain feeling one get's with wearing furs. It gives you a sense of power, over beasts, over nature. Now, I wear the fur that you once loved. Do you ever think that I will make the mistake and seek your love?" she said, rubbing now the ruff that lined the collar of the robe. Virginia was puzzled. She had never owned a fur coat, had she? Just then, the sun that had been hidden behind the clouds peeped through the high window, lighting up the gloomy dungeon. The rays lit up the silvery gray tail of fur that graced the neck of the Queen's new gown._

Virginia screamed aloud in horror at the sight. She thrashed in the tepid water, fighting a terrible drowning sensation, even though a tiny, rational part of her mind shouted out that she was in the water-mirror, and had been for some time. She would not drown here. Her screams faded to sobs, each one forming a small bubble that made it's way to the surface far overhead. The dungeon cell, the bars, her mother and her son had all faded away as if they had never existed. But they had existed, hadn't they? Virginia closed her eyes, giving her mind a space in which to settle itself. After a few minutes she grew calm again, although her skin still crawled with the images she had seen. Her own mother, an evil Queen now of all the Kingdoms. That was what would have happened had Virginia not sliced her throat with the poisoned comb that day. Christine, pale and gloating, snatching her own grandson from his mother, making every effort to mould him into her future successor whilst Virginia lingered under his toddling feet. Christine, who had made for herself a nice new gown, with Wolf's own tail to grace her collar. Virginia could scarcely imagine such cruelty in anyone, much less her own mother.

"Do you see now, how close the peoples of this land came to suffering and ruin?". The voice was Coventina's, but Virginia did not startle, as she had sensed the approach of the Goddess. She could see flowing silver robes billowing in the warm water, but the face of the deity remained hidden. It didn't matter. Virginia had not the heart for such a sight right now.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"It is a thing that must be done, Virginia, if you are to fulfill your destiny in this world". Virginia felt chilled at the Goddess' words. And angry.

"I don't want any 'destiny', other than loving my man and raising my child in peace! Pick someone else if you so desperately need a sacrificial virgin!"

"So said Snow White once, long ago. And Gretel the woodsman's daughter. Rapunzel, Cinderella, many others have stood before me and my sisters and pleaded much the same case. In one way or another, each experienced this same awakening, these same trials. Each prevailed over their adversaries, Virginia..."

"And lived happily ever after" Virginia cut in, knowing the truth of the words. She took a deep breath, strange that she could do so even underwater, and kicked for the surface. When she broke the surface, she paddled over to the edge and hauled herself out. Water ran off her bare skin, running down and back into the mirror. Someone had left a soft towel draped over her belongings, close to a simply wrapped hamper of food. Virginia took her time in drying off and dressing, certain now that she would not be enjoying the next revelations and keen to put it off for as long as possible. She lingered over the sweet bread and good cheese, washed down with clear apple juice. Her stomach rumbled appreciatively, and she had to admit she felt much better for the food. Afterwards she lay back to think about what she had seen in the mirror. Replaying all the events, her mind kept coming back to something Coventina had said. Snow White and her contemporaries had all passed through similar trials on their way to greatness. And victory over their enemies. One aspect of that thought was comforting to Virginia. She was not alone. She was but following in their footsteps. The other aspect was less than pleasant. So, they had overcome those who wished them harm. So had Virginia once, and now she could see that she had made the right decision. But that only raised another question. Who, then, was Virginia's new adversary?

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For two nights the small party of goblin, human and half-wolfs had crept along the outer edges of the Ruby River as it wound it's way slowly through the countryside. It was a wide, deep watercourse, with steep banks broken often by low lying causeways and green fields supporting small communities. Wolf carefully parted the foliage of the tree he was hiding behind and gazed down on the sleeping village below. Few lights shone from the shuttered windows, attesting to the late hour, and none walked the cobbled streets. Well, no human's anyway. Wolf tensed as one of the shadows under the eaves of the most outlying house moved, slinking soundlessly out of the village. The town guardsman, no doubt well paid by his community employers, saw nothing, raised no alarm as Will all but passed within spitting distance of him. Wolf snorted softly in amusement, but then he was hardly surprised at the nonchalance of the guard. They were still well within a short ride of the great Hood City, after all. No one would expect wolfen people to show their faces this close to the capital and it's ever present garrison.

Will had done well, though, Wolf thought as his brother came trotting easily towards him. A small sack slung over his back wriggled invitingly in the pale light of the crescent moon, but Wolf restrained himself from jumping on it when Will came within reach. Further back in the trees waited Clayface and Elias and Wolf led the way back to them. No words were spoken as Will dumped the sack on the ground and emptied it's contents. Two fat chickens, trussed and gagged with twine tumbled out, along with half a loaf of bread and a good sized wedge of sharp cheese. Wolf gave the bread and cheese barely a nod. Will had brought them for Elias anyway, since the werewolf seemed unable to stomach raw meat and they dared build no fire. Clayface had his own rations of goblin food, which he had offered to share on many occasions, but both Wolf and Willem craved fresh meat. Wolf watched as Elias gathered his booty together with a quiet word of thanks to Will, withdrawing a little to stuff his cheeks. He did break off a portion to offer to the goblin, Wolf noted, but the little green man declined it.

A snapping sound came from the bushes and Wolf saw that one of the chickens had been removed already. He scooped up his own, admiring it's weight, before quickly breaking the birds neck as Will had just done. Wolf sat down to pluck the feathers with more patience than he thought he had, given how hungry he was. Silly little things, chickens, he thought. So much work to go through just for a couple of bites! Still, it couldn't be helped, not here anyway. The human population of Riding Hood Forest had evidently grown so much that just about every type of game had either been hunted out or moved on to quieter locales. Wolf hadn't seen a single deer track, nor boar or badger. Only a few spindly rabbits and tough hares. Rabbits were good eating, but they took time to hunt and catch, and Wolf didn't want to linger in these parts any more than the others did. Except maybe for Elias. He wandered along like it was an afternoon stroll in the gardens, with little regard for trying to move unseen, or silently. He had peppered Will with endless questions about the Kingdoms, the Riding Hoods, the towns and the people until Wolf felt fit to throttle him. But then, what would Elias have to fear, were they discovered or captured? He was a man, or at least he looked like one for a few more days at least. Wolf wondered if word of the huge devouring beast that had plagued the Disenchanted Forest nearly a month ago had reached as far north as here. He doubted it. What went on in other Kingdoms was rarely a topic for discussion in others. Wolf was undecided in whether or not he wanted the stupid humans of Riding Hood Forest to experience the carnage that Elias could bring them. His hand, bloodied from his chicken feasting, slid down his lower leg to the little secret concealed in his boot. He fingered it in the darkness, but he did not find the thing such a discomfort as he once had.

Wolf scraped out a little depression in the earth, using it conceal the feathers and bones from the chicken. The birds would be missed by morning, and Wolf didn't like the idea of travelling westwards with a pack of hounds on his trail. He heard his brother doing the same thing nearby, and as Will lead the party forward through the night, Wolf spent a good few minutes erasing all evidence of their being there. Satisfied, he followed his brother's scent to catch up with them as they forded a small tributary. The water was frigid and Wolf was glad it only reached to knee level. There would be a heavy frost come dawn. The rest of the night passed without incident, but as the early light glimmered over the horizon they heard the telltale sound of riders coming from behind. The half-wolf's sharp hearing allowed them to take cover well before they were overtaken, but it became obvious that these riders were not pursuants at all. The horses harness jingled with bells, and soft laughter reached their hiding spot. It was a good sized party, more than a dozen human's, men and women, but from the distance Wolf was holed up it was impossible to distinguish any particular individual. The group rode swiftly, the rich fabrics of their cloaks billowing in their wake. Wolf started at the distinct flash of red amongst the riders. So, a member of the Royal Family then, since they were the only one's allowed to wear that colour in this Kingdom. Probably a hunting party then, out for summer fattened game. Wolf smiled to think of how far this royal princeling would have to ride before he so much as spotted a rack of antlers. Within a minute, the group had disappeared from view, making their way up the valley. Will breathed in Wolf's ear.

"Did you see the red?" he asked, referring to the royal colour.

"Yes. Wonder which one it was" Wolf replied, though he didn't really care one way or another. Besides, the current Riding Hood Queen, the one named Scarlett, had many blood relatives and it could have been any one of them.

"This seems like a good enough place to spend the day" continued Will, dismissing the matter in much the same way. Wolf looked around them in the morning light, agreeing that they would be unlikely to find a better before full daylight. They settled themselves against the lee of a great boulder, gathering a supply of shrubby branches to further conceal themselves. Clayface and Elias settled almost immediately, drowsy within minutes. Wolf and Will divided the rest of the day between them to take turns in keeping a watch. It had been an unspoken agreement between the four of them that lookout duties should fall to the half-wolf's with their superior senses, but after two days of broken sleep, Wolf's eyes felt like they were going to fall out of his head. He propped himself up against a particularly rough spot of stone, trying to ignore the soft sounds of sleep around him.

About mid-morning he awoke with a start. Cursing quietly, he rubbed at his tired eyes. The subtle sound of a bell reached his ears. For a heart-stopping moment, he thought that the royal hunting party had indeed discovered them, but then he listened hard again. These were much larger bells, such as were used on cart and plough horses, and they were muted, as though wrapped in cloth. Just like gypsies did when they wanted to move without attracting attention. They were coming closer. Will woke then, and Wolf cautioned him with a look. But it was probably a pointless exercise. Gypsy folk were almost as good in woodcraft as wolf's. Their forward scouts had likely already spotted them. As if in answer to his thoughts, two male gypsies strode suddenly from two directions, surrounding them. Wolf stared at the men as closely as they studied him. Wolf didn't particularly like gypsies, but he knew that they rarely attempted to kill people out of hand. No, much better, to invite them back to camp, make friends with them, and then kill them.

One of the men pursed his lips thoughtfully. Will leaned to nudge the still sleeping Elias and the goblin. Both came awake with widened eyes, but Clayface sketched a small bow at the men.

"Hmm, two half-wolf's, a man, and goblin, all together and hiding. Sounds like an interesting story to be told" the gypsy said matter of factly. Wolf relaxed slightly, knowing that the gypsy appetite for story telling often outweighed their desire to slaughter their guests. Willem sprang into action. He stood warily, but smiling all the while at the gypsy men.

"Story telling, you say? Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Willem the Bard, most esteemed storyteller of all the Second Kingdom..." he began. Wolf gulped down his laughter. Willem the Bard? But the gypsies were impressed, he could tell.

"We have heard of you! Are you not kin with Lena's caravan?"

"Well, yes, through my..." Will began, but he was embraced suddenly by one of the men.

"Wonderful! Then you are kin with us as well! Come then, spend a spell with us, please!" he said, almost begging. Wolf thought the man's behaviour odd. Gyspies never said 'please' when asking for anything. It was suspicious, but he couldn't really say anything about it. Will was busy introducing Elias and Clayface, and then himself.

"And this is my brother, W...Lucian" he was saying, stumbling over the name. Wolf agreed with his brother's caution. The name 'Wolf' was all too well known in the Kingdoms, even amongst the intinerant gypsies. If the caravan that was now approaching guessed his true identity, they might either hound him to death with questions and story requests, or they could just as easily string him up and sell his hide to the highest bidder. One could never tell these days.


	20. Chapter 20

Circle Of Sisters

20. _Gypsies and Queens_

That bridge had not been there earlier, thought Virginia with wry amusement. Or, maybe it had, but she'd just not seen it. It didn't matter. She put a foot to the slender construction gingerly. The bridge sprang from the side of the cavern, close to where Virginia had stashed her belongings. It looked to be made of spun glass, but she suspected it was all water. Nevertheless, it held her weight, for which Virginia was glad. Below her, the water-mirror eddied and gurgled, and Virginia had no desire at all to revisit it's depths. One look at her mother of the future had been more than enough. And it hadn't been just her fate, but the whole of the Kingdoms, she reminded herself. As she reached the other side, Virginia saw a previously hidden opening in the stone and the bridge led her feet directly towards it. She turned to look back over her shoulder as she left the grotto. It was an undeniably beautiful place just as itself, regardless of any magic contained within it.

"Yes, it is beautiful. Even this Goddess has simply made use of what Nature has created". Coventina's voice floated through Virginia's mind as she left the place behind.

"Is Nature not a Goddess too?" Virginia asked.

"Yes and no"

"Of course"

"You don't need to concern yourself overmuch with such things Virginia. Let me say this much, Nature is beyond description in terms that you could understand. Not because you are unintelligent, no, but because of the vastness of it's being. Even I, who have existed in this world since time began, do not presume to understand Nature"

"So, you too can fall prey to Nature's whims"

"I certainly can, Virginia. Don't make the mistake of thinking me, or any other that you would call a God or Goddess, as being infallible. Or indestructible". Virginia nodded to herself as she walked along.

"I think I shall stop and sleep a while, Coventina" she said, feeling slightly bolder.

"That is a good idea. The next mirror is ahead. You won't like it, Virginia"

"Fantastic. Thanks for the heads up. This one will show the present then, you said?"

"Well, in a manner of speaking. Life is all about pathways. The first mirror showed you what would have happened had you not taken the path that led to your mother's death. This next will show you what will happen should you not veer from the path you are currently on right now"

"What do you mean, _not _veer from the path? Do you mean, not become a monster? That's what I'm down here for, Coventina. You said you could help me"

"And I can, Virginia. But you must make the choice for me to do so"

"I _have_ made my choice!"

"Hush! Wait and see. Don't be so sure until you have seen"

"I have seen. In my dreams, I have seen" Virginia choked, brushing away tears angrily. There was no response, from within her mind or without. She threw down her pack on the ground, sitting beside it finally. She rolled up her cloak to use as a pillow, leaving one corner loose to dry her face with. Damn this place, these people, these infernal meddlers! After a time, she fell at last into sleep.

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Scarlett knew that her cheeks were flushed with a most unladylike glow, but she threw back her crimson hood, not caring who saw. The cool morning air caressed her face, toying with her blonde ringlets, most of which had come undone from their pins and clasps. Great Gods, how long had it been since she'd ridden out from Hooded Castle? Far too long. It seemed she had spent all the best days of summer holed up in that stifling place, her skin growing pale and her eyesight poor in the dim light. Scarlett patted the proud crest of her favourite mount, Arrow. The firey black stallion was the terror of the stables, apparently, but Scarlett loved him for his strength and showy pace. Her court advisors were beside themselves every time she rode out on him, but Scarlett knew herself to be a competent horsewoman, riding astride when all the other noble ladies sat demurely on their sidesaddles.

The Queen glanced back over her shoulder to see those same few ladies gripping their reins with white knuckles. She stifled a laugh. Well, she was setting a fast pace after all. Scarlett was tempted to send several of them back, just to see the looks on the faces of those that she bade stay. But whilst the weather remained clear, she would keep them with her. She was a Queen, after all, and there were many things that a Queen needed that common men-at-arms could not ever be privy to. Arrow snorted loudly, his breath forming great clouds of steam. The red plume attached to his bridle waved in the breeze. He wanted to run, Scarlett knew, but she held him in check, knowing the heavy frost on the ground would be treacherous going for a few more hours at least.

All around her ranged her personal guards. Trusted men, many with ties of blood to the Riding Hood family. Scarlett's own sister's husband was their captain. He was a dour, serious man, but Scarlett as a much younger woman had once considered him consort material. But her mother, the then Queen Auburn, had had much grander plans for her eldest daughter. Scarlett recalled the day well. Auburn had called the young girl into her private chambers, which was a rarity in itself. The princess had thought herself to be in trouble and had been running various excuses and explanations in her mind as the maid announced her.

"Come here, Scarlett" her mother had said, gesturing imperiously with one bejewelled hand. Scarlett had knelt dutifully at her mother's feet, trying not to show discomfort from the tight laces on her bodice. The Queen had reached to finger her daughter's golden locks. "You will be a great beauty one day, my Scarlett. My women tell me you have become enamoured of a certain guardsman. This will stop, today". The princess had not dared to protest, but her cheeks had flamed as severely as her name. Had it been that obvious to everyone? The Queen continued on. "My dear, I have good news. As you know, I have just returned from our neighbouring Kingdom. When I was there, I had the opportunity to look upon the heir to that throne. A comely enough youth, that one. He is being well schooled by his tutors. I let his regents, who rule for him until his majority, know that I was well pleased with what I had seen in their prince"

Scarlett had been dumbfounded at the revelation. Although not a single name had been used, she knew exactly of whom her mother had spoken. Wendell, the Prince of the Fouth Kingdom. Dismissed from her mother's presence, Scarlett had gone over what little she knew about him. He was younger than she by about five years, and recently bereft of his father. And that was at the hands of his own step-mother, if rumours were to be believed, thought the young princess, blushing at the scandal. Now, this Evil Queen had been locked up somewhere and the young boy was growing up as best he could amid stuffy old retainers. Scarlett had never seen him in person. She wondered idly what he looked like. More pertinently, she wondered what his Kingdom was like.

"...my Lady? Ahem...my Lady?". The coarse voice of her guard captain intruded on Scarlett's thoughts. She sighed just loudly enough to let him know she was displeased at his interuption of her musings.

"Yes, Captain?"

"Would my Queen wish to stop for refreshments?". Scarlett glanced around. The sun was high in the sky, all the frost burned off. How long had she been daydreaming? The looks on her guards faces told her.

"That would be welcome" she spoke, putting her carefully controlled neutral expression back in place. Goodness knows what she'd looked like just now when she'd been thinking about Wendell. The guard called a halt immediately and Scarlett could all but hear the sighs of relief from her court as they dismounted. Pages and servants clustered round the baggage train, and within minutes a great travelling pavillion had been set up. The strange masked man who she had bidden ride with them hung back behind the others, his dark cloak drawn close as though he feared that even the squirrels might accost him. Scarlett shook herself out of her reverie as she slipped down from Arrow, eyeing the tall trees surrounding them. Like all in her family, she had an almost instinctive dislike of forests. They harboured too many dangerous things in their shadows.

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Despite the seemingly warm welcome laid on by the gypsy folk, Wolf told himself firmly once more to keep his guard up. It was late evening on the second day since they had been 'discovered' by the caravan. Since it appeared that these gypsies were travelling in the same direction as Wolf and his companions were, he and Will had come to a silent agreement to fall in with them, for now anyway. There were as many advantages as disadvantages to such a move, of course. Travelling as part of the troop gave them a cover of sorts should they meet unexpectedly with soldiers, although it had to be said that gypsies were as regularly disliked in most parts of this Kingdom as wolves were. Gypsy folk were well skilled in tracking and staying off the beaten tracks and at the very least would provide adequate warning (or diversion) if anyone thought to accost them, thought Wolf. Of course the caravan could just as easily put any passing soldiers on their case and hope to gain a financial reward. Wolf had carefully appraised the level of wealth of the troop and had found them to be quite prosperous looking, so he doubted that any of them would be wanting to make a quick gold coin from turning in a couple of half-wolf's who had strayed well into Red territory.

Wolf stretched out his long legs, warming the soles of his feet next to the fire. A spitted deer, fat with summer-stored fat, hung suspended over the coals. The occasional splash of hot fat filled the campsite with mouthwatering aromas. Wolf tried to think about something else, even though he knew he would be entitled to a share of the meat since he and Will had helped in it's hunting. He glanced over to see his brother engrossed in a simple story that he was relating to the camp youngsters. The children's eyes were wide as the tale drew to it's climax. Even some of the adults nearby were listening in, Wolf saw, and it was a testament to his brother's skills that he was able to hold their jaded attention as well.

"He's very good isn't he?" said a female voice in his ear. Wolf jumped, partially because he hadn't heard her sneaking up on him, but also because the speaker herself made him feel awkward. She had introduced herself as Tracey within minutes of his arriving and had seemed determined to stick by his side since then. She was slender, graceful in the way that most gypsy women were. She had already demonstrated her ability to sneak up on people when they were unawares. Tracey had danced around the fire on that first night, and Wolf had thought her beautiful and strong. He had thought that she probably even had a touch of wolf blood in her from a distant ancestor, as so many of the gypsy folk did without their even being aware of such things. Untailed and unfanged, these people still had that certain wildness about them that made their heritage all too obvious to those who knew how to see it.

Wolf edged over a little to give her a space next to him. To him it was patently obvious that this woman wanted far more from him than he was prepared to give. It was not a new situation for Wolf. He knew quite well that he was considered attractive by many females of both species. Were he to have spent his adulthood solely within the wolfen communities, he might well have gathered more than one mate to himself and thus founded his own pack. It was a common enough set up for his people, but humans were very different. His Virginia would never accept another female, and Wolf knew he would never ask her to. His heart and soul were too fully captured by her anyway. There was just nothing left for anyone else. So Wolf sat quietly and allowed Tracey to fuss over and admire him, letting only a very small part of his self feel good about it. He was male after all.

"Where are your cubs, I mean, your children?" he asked her. He had seen the two little one's earlier, but they were not a part of the story gathering.

"Oh, I caught them throwing stones at your goblin friend. I suppose I should have let the goblin punish them, but I won't stand by and let them develop bad manners. They're confined to my wagon for a week"

"I see" said Wolf, trying to spot where Clayface had hidden himself. The gypsies had been wary of him when he had slunk into camp on Wolf's heels yesterday, but he suspected that they had had little dealings with goblin folk. After Clayface had shown no signs of dangerous behaviour, they had relaxed their guard with him, even inviting him to sing with them in the mornings. Wolf spotted the goblin sitting up on one of the wagon roofs, busy scratching away at that odd shaped piece of stone that he always carried around. Wolf didn't know what Clayface was carving, but he recalled that he had often done so whilst in prison. The goblin's teeth flashed white in the gloom as he smiled broadly at Wolf from his perch. Then he made a point of staring hard at the rising moon. Wolf followed his gaze, seeing the increasingly thin sliver rise from behind the hills. He frowned at it. Only a few more nights remained before the new moon would grace the sky. Wolf wondered if Virginia was sensing the inevitable process creeping up on her. The werewolf whose company Wolf kept on this night gave nothing away in _his_ expression.

"You don't agree?" said Tracey, seeing his frown and misinterpreting it. It took Wolf a few seconds before he could remember what they had been talking about. Oh, the naughty cubs.

"Oh, of course I agree. Cripes, if my brother and I had grown up with a little more discipline..." he started, feeling at once that he was betraying his parent's memories. Not to mention his brother's issues regarding their deaths and the supposed cause of the same. Wolf hoped that Will hadn't heard his little slip. Hoping to change the subject, he brought up another pertinent one.

"So, explain again just how you're related to my brother's cub?" he asked her.

"His cub mother is my half sister's cousin" replied Tracy as though such vague ties were a common thing in all communities. Wolf knew that he wouldn't likely consider such distant relations as family, but then he knew that gypsies on the whole tended to consider themselves one giant one. But there had been a hidden shadow in Tracy's voice that he had detected, almost a touch of dislike when she mentioned the other caravan. Were they feuding somehow? It seemed that gypsy folk were ever at conflict with each other, despite the united front they liked to cultivate with outsiders. He could only hope that he and his brother would not get caught up in it due to their relationship with a youngster from another camp. Wolf wondered what the cub was like, in manner and appearance. In human terms, she would be his niece, although in wolf families he would be considered a pack mate and a father to her as well. Will had told him that he had last seen his cub only a few weeks earlier, on his way to the disenchanted forest and a reunion with his brother, but by now they could be anywhere of course. One mile or a hundred, you could never tell which way gypsy folk would go at any one time.

There was a sudden applause from the other side of camp, where Willem had obviously finished off his story with a flourish. The camp children were all smiles as they each stood politely to thank him. Wolf saw his eyes sparkling with pleasure at the childish adoration. He found himself suddenly hoping with a fervour that they would meet up with Lena's caravan, just to allow Will the time with his cub. Wolf missed Caelum dreadfully. Cub's were rarely, if ever, left behind when their parents went off gallivanting across the country. It had taken every inch of Wolf's resolve to ride away from his son that day and Will had done so on several occasions since he had become a father. Will managed to extricate himself from the youngsters and make the solemn, almost ceremonial first slice into the spit of meat over the fire. There was plenty to go around, even with two half-wolf guests.

The full stomachs put everyone in a good mood that evening. There was much singing and dancing and Wolf noticed that even the recitent Elias had come from whatever shadow he'd slunk into to join in the revelry. The man had not made much of an effort to mix with the gypsies and they had in turn mostly avoided him. Whatever they had thought about the tall silent man going about with two wolf's and a goblin they had kept to themselves. Wolf had been at pains to avoid any direct mention of what they were doing, or their destination. Gyspies were infernally nosy people and he didn't want them asking too many questions that didn't have answers. Only one more day and he and the others would have to leave this caravan and strike out by themselves. Clayface had confirmed Wolf's guess as to their destination. They were heading for a still, cold lake, the source of the Ruby River that flowed through the Second Kingdom and her tributaries that branched out over the lands ajoining it. In fact, one could say that the waters of the Coven Lake flowed into nearly every corner of the Nine Kingdoms Wolf realised, picturing the map in his mind.

In was very early in the morning hours when Wolf found himself awake and alert in his bedroll by the fire. Next to him, Elias sprawled in sleep, but further over, a pale gleam of eyeshine showed Will to be awake as well. Wolf listened hard, trying to pick out from the normal night sounds that which had intruded on his wolfish senses to alert him. Soft snores and sighs of sleeping gypsies, distant gurgle of the river, hoot of hunting owl overhead. There, a distant chime, like a bell. A gypsy bell, coming towards them, following the trail they had forged earlier that day. Another caravan approached then. Wolf sat up, seeing that Will had risen. Wolf wanted to warn him to keep down in case the strangers meant trouble with bows and arrows, but before he could speak his brother bounded forward, his nostrils wide as he scented the air in front. The approaching caravan was now making enough noise for even some of the gypsies to startle awake and Wolf heard them cursing quietly as they fumbled with clothes and weapons. Suddenly a shrill whistle came from the bushes off to the side and the branches parted to reveal a small figure. In the poor light Wolf used his nose to determine it was a child of his kindred, but also one dressed as a gypsy, no doubt using her superior senses to find the trail in the dark for her caravan. But Wolf had no time to react as Will leapt towards the figure, scooping her up in a tight embrace. The child twisted in his arms to whistle sharply once more, and Wolf heard it answered many times. He barely noticed that the gypsies had lowered their weapons as they obviously recognized and welcomed the strangers. His whole focus was on Will and the little girl. They turned towards him and a stray beam of starlight fell on her face, making Wolf's heart stand still for a moment in his chest. She was the very image of his own mother as she lingered in his pained memories. Wolf knew he was grinning like a simpleton but he didn't care.

"You must be Alice" he managed to babble at her as Will toted her over to him. The little girl smiled, holding his gaze with that direct way that gypsies had, but did not answer him. Wolf saw Willem's eyes were brimming with tears as he kissed his daughter over and over on her rosy cheeks whilst scanning the night for the other intruders who were calling out greetings as they came forward.

"Alice, where's your mother?" he asked his cub, in between kisses. The child's face seemed to crumple in on itself, but her voice was strong and low when it came.

"My mother is dead"


	21. Chapter 21

Circle Of Sisters

21. _Virginia Unleashed_

Virginia had fully expected to have to plunge once more into the next mirror, so she was surprised when she entered into the cavern to find not a lake, or even a pond. Instead, dropping from an immense height was a fine sheet of water. It was so sheer it seemed to Virginia that it would be little more than a fingers length in width. The droplets that made up the waterfall were so tiny that it was like looking at a long silver curtain. They tinkled with minute musical tones as they struck the stone floor and flowed away in all directions. Virginia thought it was possibly the most beautiful fall she had ever seen, more so even that the Snow White Falls that ran down the side of Dragon Mountain far to the west. Wolf would love to see this, she mused, missing him with a pang of discomfort.

She sighed and put down her belongings, stripping off once more. A pale gleam of sunlight crept over the rim of the fall, shining down from whatever small cavity allowed the water through from the surface. Virginia lifted her face to the light, feeling her heart lift with the added bonus of a slender sliver of blue sky above. Her skin tingled all over suddenly and her palms and the soles of her feet itched. Virginia looked to her hands with some alarm. Surely she wouldn't be sprouting claws and hair just yet? But no, they seemed as normal as they had ever been, and she reminded herself that Elias had only changed when the moon had risen, dark as it had been that night. It was still day, no matter the passage of time. But she had no way of judging exactly which day. Could a whole month have passed by already?

Virginia put off the chills and studied the waterfall once more. Despite it's beauty, she was reluctant to approach it. She felt sure what she would see reflected in it, seeing as it was a mirror of truth, meant to show her what would become of her should she stay a werewolf. Virginia had been angry, and upset at Coventina's suggestion that she might not want to give it up at all. Had the Goddess seen some flaw in her then, some hidden trait that would show itself now? Virginia didn't know, but there was no time to waste in further hesitation she thought, stepping up with more boldness than she knew she possessed. She was surprised to see only her own reflection in the mirror. No huge monster towering in the background. Just a small human woman seemed to stare out at her. But there was _something _else there, wasn't there? A small blip, hovering, disappearing even as she strove to pinpoint it. A little light maybe? Virginia gave up trying to spot the thing and put her hands up to the surface. It was soft, and tickly to her palms. She stepped through, into..._snow_.

_Snow by starlight. She should be cold, freezing even, but she revelled in the icy wasteland. She ran. Effortless, she seemed to float over the ground as the miles sped by. Behind her, they trailed in her wake. Her followers bellowed in the night for her to wait for them. They all loved her, they adored her, they fought for her notice, her attention. Wasn't this what all women desired?_

_The countryside around them was silent, as it should be. Virginia had brought peace to all the lands. The days and nights of her campaign had one by one routed out those who wished ill fortune on the Kingdoms. They had been many, and they had not died easily. Virginia did not spend much thought on them these days. They had been weak, it was natural that they should fall to her. Good will always prevail in the end, Virginia. Pity that we never know just when it will end. Someone had said that to her. A long time ago it seemed. Well, Virginia would decide when it would end, because none dared to say otherwise. Everybody would live happily ever after from this day forward she thought. The last bastion of evilness was about to be toppled._

_The dim outlines of the huge compound lay ahead. Around it ranged her guards and Virginia felt a relief when one of her favourites stepped forward to tell her that the place was now subdued. She ranged through the cold corridors, marvelling that anyone would think to live in this barren place. Virginia would not choose to live here. When summer came again, she would head southwards to her castle and start her dynasty from there._

_The great room at the centre of the holding was open to the elements. The woman huddled at the base of the dias. Virginia knew that the place was strewn with bodies, but she ignored them for now. All her attention was on the prize. So strange, to find a simple human woman. Stripped of her powers, defenceless now, yet she glared with a grim defiance as Virginia came forward to deliver the justice due her. The woman coughed and a great gobbet of blood stained spittle came up to land at Virginia's feet. Virginia stooped to sniff at the blood. It was toxic to her senses, sickened. How disappointing to find that Mother Nature would have accomplished what months of long battles had done. No matter. Virginia smiled at the woman, seeing there the sudden terror that such a grimace usually provided._

_"I find you at last, cold one" she said to the woman. The woman shook her head and Virginia wondered for a moment if she had lost her wits. But of course. She wouldn't understand, not while Virginia was in her true form. The human on the floor grovelled, mouthing useless curses. Then she laughed._

_"Oh my, what a sight you are! Are you to be the Monster Queen then?" she cackled. Virginia felt her blood rising in anger. She positively hated that name! Couldn't the fools of this world see past her outward appearances and see what she'd just done for them? Sacrificed for them? Ah, but the great thrill of absolute control. A chance to design the world as Virginia saw it. And she would not be evil, nor terrible, but just and fair. It was about time someone took the initiative in this world. Too many curses, too many evil souls. But no more. She turned her back to the woman and sat down on her haunches, her vast belly scraping the icy steps. Her people were still quartering the room, hunting out and killing those who sought to hide. Her King would come soon. Even he bowed before her. The human still gurgled behind her._

_"Heh heh, stupid bitch. Have it then, take it all. You're welcome to it"_

_"I have already. I don't need your permission. When you and that from which you gain your stranglehold on this world are gone, then all will have peace. Happy Ever After for all"_

_"You're a bigger fool then than I thought. Everybody, you say? Look around you, Monster Queen. You've destroyed them all yourself. You and your beastly army. All gone, or fled over the sea. So, take my throne if you will, and add it to the others you have already destroyed. Go, scamper through the ruins of the towns and villages that lie in your wake. There will be Happy Ever After for none, because there is none left but yourself"_

_Virginia looked around, and knew it to be all too true._

She fought against the clinging feeling of the water, scrabbling backwards over the wet stones to try and escape the vision. The watery curtain parted and she found herself back on the other side of the fall. She was gasping like she'd run a race. Virginia got to her feet shakily, examining herself all over. Still a human yet. No monster-wolf as she had been in the mirror. Virginia struggled into her clothing, her mind racing with the images, her body remembering the strength and agility it had just had. And that it would soon have. Virginia felt like beating at her own flesh for what she saw as a betrayal of herself. No, no, never. No matter how intoxicating it had been, she would never accept it. Not if the result would be her total domination and ruin of the Nine Kingdoms. Virginia huddled into her dry clothing, but she couldn't stop shaking. She wanted Wolf to be there to hold her against herself, to tell her that no, she wasn't like that, she would never be like that. Like her mother.

"You're the fool, Coventina, if you think that I would ever accept that" she said finally.

"I guessed as much. But I had to ask, Virginia. These worlds are about to be laid waste. Were you to remain as you are, victory would be certain, but what then would take up the mantle? Do you remember watching Wendell's crowning ceremony, the fake one that your mother presided over?"

"Yes". A shiver at the thought ran through Virginia.

"Wendell passed their main test purely on his ability to convince them that he truly didn't believe himself worthy. Of course, what he was saying was the truth, for him, but they only admired his gall at attempting to convince them otherwise"

"They didn't really believe him"

"No, it was inconceivable to them that anyone would want to declare themselves unworthy, and they won't believe you either, Virginia"

"Because of my mother" Virginia responded, but she was unsure of how she felt at being judged like that. She wasn't Christine, she was nothing like her. But then, what had she just seen in the mirror? Could power corrupt anyone then? Coventina's voice intruded on her muddled thoughts.

"No. Power itself does not corrupt. It is merely attractive to those who are corruptible"

"I do not find it attractive at all"

"I know that Virginia" the musical voice trilled through the cavern. Virginia thought she could sense a smile on the Goddess' face and she returned it hesitantly, then with more strength as another beam of sunlight reached down from the opening overhead. Just like no time had passed.

"Actually, a whole day has passed in the world above. You should make haste, dear one. Time runs short for you and yours...". The voice drifted away and Virginia saw that a small opening had appeared in the falls to reveal another long passage ahead. She gathered her belongings and took one last look up at the sunbeams that played in the water. It would be so good to be above ground once more, no matter how beautiful it was down here in the realm of the Water Goddess. She hoped that wherever Wolf was, he would be there to meet her when she rose from the depths.

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"Impossible! The child is one of us. She stays" the man's voice sliced through the deepening tension ahead. Wolf trailed alongside one of the middle placed wagons drawn by plodding cart horses. The man had named himself as Bere and it seemed that the leader, one Lena, was content to let him handle the increasingly bitter Willem. Wolf peered forward, seeing the all too obvious lines of anger in his brother's stance. He had a bad feeling of how this dispute would end. Perhaps if he revealed himself, let them know he was considered a 'hero of the kingdoms', maybe that would help sway the obstinate gypsies to releasing the cub into her father's care. But no, it was all too clear that that might be a dangerous move. Whilst the gypsies of Tracy's caravan seemed to be friendly enough towards them, those of Lena's did not. In fact, many even eyed each other with distrust. Wolf recalled the hidden tones of Tracy's voice of the evening before. They didn't much care for each other, these two tribes. Yet Wolf had no doubt that they would unite instantly if he and Will were to try anything against them.

Wolf studied the wagon in front, noting that Clayface and Elias rode on the back of it, their legs hanging off the back. It was Tracy's wagon, and she handled her team competently through the dense undergrowth. The day was drawing on. They would have to leave the gypsies before darkness today and strike out on their own for the Coven Lake. Wolf smiled to himself when he pictured his Virginia waiting there for him, probably tapping her watch impatiently, her 'you're late' look on her face. Curiousity burned within as he wondered about what she was doing right now. He hoped that whatever tests or challenges the Goddess set for her weren't too terrible or frightening. He also wondered if she had discovered the secret he'd been unable to voice at their parting.

Wolf had gleaned from the tribe chatter that both clan's were heading for the Wolf Pass, a great cleft in the mountain range which was the main passage for those travelling between the northern forests and the Riding Hood's territories. Not many humans went that way these days, but gypsies often did, bringing to the wolfen communities trade goods, news, and gossip from the other Kingdoms. It would have to be a short trip if they were to make it back before the winter snows closed the pass to wagons though, he realised, glancing at the heavy clouds that hung in the western sky. There had been a heavy frost this morning. Wolf considered whether he might be able to steal an extra blanket from the gypsies before they left, remembering that Virginia only had one thin cloak. He didn't want her to get cold in those days it would take to get back home. Home. His mind wandered back to his little cottage, imagining ahead. Virginia, happy and smiling, whole again, Caelum playing by the fire. A chill wind blew through the travellers, dampening his happy daydreams. The arguement was continuing ahead.

"No, she was born amongst us. We are all the family she knows"

"She knows me well enough"

"I don't deny it"

"Then why can't I take her with me? I'm her father. Mara had no other close blood relatives. You just want her because she's got the wolf in her. Your clan can use her woodcraft..." Will continued, his voice taking on an accusatory tone. Wolf sighed, knowing that his brother was running out of plausible reasons, and patience. It was unusual to see his typically placid brother so riled, but Wolf didn't doubt his sincerity. He positively loved and adored the cub, but what Alice herself wanted was a mystery. The adults of both clans had kept her well out of sight since she had led them to her father. Wolf half snorted. As if that would somehow break any bond between them. Wolf knew exactly where she was anyway, in what wagon she was concealed. He glanced back down the line, hoping to see her small face at one of the multipaned windows, but whoever had her had shuttered them against the day. Wolf caught the eye of Lena as she drove her brightly coloured cart. At a nod from the gypsy matriarch, he dropped back a little way to walk alongside her. To Wolf she seemed a formidable woman, not one to be crossed, much less one to try and steal a blanket from. Or a child. He hoped his expression wasn't giving away his thoughts as she gazed at him.

"You want your fangs pulled?" she said matter-of factly. Wolf was so surprised by her question that it was a moment before he could register a reply.

"My what?"

"Your fangs. You know, the hidden ones"

"Ah, no. Thank you anyway" he stammered, curious. "Why would you ask such a thing, lady?" he added.

"Oh, I'm training to be a Tooth Fairy" replied Lena. Wolf nodded slowly, as if such things were commonplace aspirations. The fact that the woman was obviously _not_ a fairy didn't seem to worry her at all. Wolf decided not to pursue the matter, but his jaw ached at the very thought of having his teeth yanked out by anyone. The indignity of having to use a knife and fork for the rest of his life would be embarrasing enough. To put the budding dentist's thoughts on something else, he raised another topic.

"How did the cub's, I mean the child's, mother die, and when?"

"Mara took an arrow through the lung not two weeks ago, in a skirmish with Riding Hood troops. They ambushed us as we tried to ford the river near the border. Three others besides her were killed before we were able to put them off our trail, curse them!"

"Why would Red troops attack gypsies? I've never heard of them doing that before"

"Then you've been away from this Kingdom for a long time haven't you?" Lena replied with bitterness. She clucked at the reins of her team and the creaking wagon drew ahead of Wolf, leaving him with his troubled thoughts. Red troops ambushing gypsy clans? He couldn't imagine why they would do so, other than a particularly bored captain wanting some sport. He looked around at the spread out collection of carts and wagons and pack animals. It was a garish, noisy way to travel, but right now it seemed not the safest place to be. Any soldier could follow such a trail. Perhaps they were setting a trap even now. Wolf shivered at the thought of being wounded or captured by Red soldiers. He resolved that they would leave the caravan today, even if they had to leave the cub behind for now.

The column was drawing together as the lead scouts decided to stake out a camp ahead. Wolf watched as the two clans carefully set themselves up with half on one side and half on the other. Will was still arguing in low tones with the man Bere and Wolf could tell it wasn't going well for his brother. He wondered just how he would be able to convince Will to leave the cub. Maybe he wouldn't want to continue at all, and Wolf would have to go on with just the goblin and Elias. Wolf saw that Elias had hopped down from his perch and was gathering wood with some of the others, but the man looked far more energetic than he had been in past days. His eyes sparkled with vigour, he was quick and confident in his movements. Wolf checked the moon with that tiny part of his mind that kept track of her cycle. Only one more night before the new moon graced the sky. He had to get Elias away from these people at any rate. As much as he disliked and mistrusted the gypsies, he couldn't in good conscience let the werewolf run havoc amongst them. At least the Coven Lake, hidden as she was between two giant peaks, was for the most part uninhabited by humans. Elias (and Virginia perhaps, his unhappy thoughts reminded him) could run around all night long without doing too much damage. But they would have to leave now, if they were to get there in time.

Wolf steeled himself for the difficult task of convincing Will to come away, but before he had even taken two steps towards him, the whole forest exploded in violence.


	22. Chapter 22

Circle Of Sisters

22. _Ambush and Artifice_

With an instinct born of a naturally dangerous life, Wolf ducked just in time. The low whistle of an arrow parted his hair with the wind of it's passage. A second later, it thudded into the rump of one of the cart horses. The frightened animal reacted instantly, rearing up and trumpeting it's panic. Panic that spread like wildfire as other arrows came flying in from all directions. Wolf dove under a wagon where a dozen other gypsies sheltered. An arrow shaft stuck out from one of the cart wheels and his mind barely registered the scarlett fletching attached to the end. Scarlett dyed feathers could only mean Red soldiers. Some of the best bowmen to be found filled their ranks. Wolf knew he couldn't just sit and wait to be picked off. Only seconds had passed, yet everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. He fingered his sharp belt knife, usually concealed under his shirt, but it was a small weapon, for close range fighting only. More arrows flew, and he became aware of the shouting gypsies beginning to organize themselves into some semblance of resistance. Good, he thought, letting his wolf mind take over and assess possible escape routes.

Under the next wagon were Elias and the goblin. Wolf met their eyes. Clayface looked uneasy, but Elias looked around him like he was wanting to bound into the fray. Wolf was tempted to leave him to do just that, but he had promised Virginia to keep the man from harm as best he could. So he whistled a high pitched tone that would only be audible to wolf's, or werewolf's. Getting Elias' attention, he raised a hand in the direction he had settled on as the most likely way of escape. Towards the river, where, if his memory served him, she was bounded by great expanses of sedge and marsh. The soldiers, no matter how well trained, would avoid that area if they could. He looked for Will in the chaos. He couldn't see him, but he could hear him quite well over the din. He was shouting orders, organizing some form of defense from the gypsies. Wolf didn't know why his brother was bothering helping them, but then a long wolf-growl came to his ears and the plan became clear.

"Get the cub!". It was a simple message, but not so simply done, thought Wolf, although he moved to obey instinctively. Will was the alpha male and his words had been clear enough. Wolf supposed that he would try and gather most of the male gypsies together and leave the cub undefended. Which only left the women, of course. Wolf raised his hand to the goblin and Elias, signalling to them to break cover and make for the marsh beyond the treeline. Despite his mixed feelings towards the werewolf, he still had a tense few moments until they had made it across the firing zone. He almost said a wolfish prayer for them as they disappeared. Thankfully the sun was setting and the shadows long on the ground. Hopefully the soldiers had no dogs with them.

One part of the escape secured, he backed up and scuttled over to the next wagon. His superior senses had picked out the exact positions of the soldiers, but he knew that even he could not outrun a flying arrow. So he waited for that small break in the fire as the troops reloaded their crossbows. Screaming and wailing gypsies tumbled all around him as he broke cover and headed for the enclosed wagon that he knew held his niece. It was small, gaily painted, and the back door was locked up tight. A male gypsy with an arrow bolt through his chest lay on top of the wagon. He gurgled and spat blood, and he was reaching out for help when he took another bolt through the neck. The spray of blood soaked Wolf in the face. He tasted some of it on his tongue. Human blood. Forbidden fruit, but it zinged through his awareness like a shot of swamp water. He felt giddy with sudden blood lust. _Kill, kill, rip to shreds, all of them_. His wolf mind sang the ancient hunting refrain as his human mind moved his hands to smack the side of his head sharply. Get the cub! He focussed his thoughts with great difficulty.

He crept to the door. It was latched from the inside and his determined tugs couldn't budge it. He knew he couldn't waste time, so he called out, softly, in the wolfen tongue. "Open the door, lift the latch!" he hissed. Above him, he heard the shift of weight on the floor of the wagon as someone pattered over to stand directly over his position.

"Bere said I wasn't 'sposed to. Said I had to stay here and not come out, he did!". Wolf silently cursed. The girl's voice was quavering with fear.

"Open the shutters then. Let me see you are safe" he spoke sharply over the sounds of battle. Or slaughter really, if the number of gypsy bodies laying about were anything to go by. More and more of them were scattering into the forest. Wolf saw Tracy and her children make the cover of the trees and breathed a sigh of relief for them. Above, in the wagon, the shutters rattled as the child drew them aside. Wolf knew he would be a sitting target, but he slipped out from underneath to peer in the side window. The little cubling had retreated back against the far wall, her eyes wide with fright, and, Wolf realised, the same battle frenzy he had in his own. The blood and death was getting to her. "Look at me" he commanded. She obeyed, and was caught. Wolf watched her carefully until he saw the change. "Come here!" he said, knowing that she would have no choice but to do it. She darted, quick and silent, towards him and he yanked at her till she came tumbling through the window and into his arms. With barely a second to spare he threw them both under the wagon as more arrows thudded into it's sides. "Hang on tight" he said to the girl, shoving her so that she was able to scramble onto his back. Her fingers dug deep into his shoulders. Wolf surveyed his escape routes. This would be the riskiest part. He himself might be able to take an arrow and survive it, but not the tiny girl-cub. He let his full wolfish awareness move his limbs, trusting it would pick the right moment. His long legs sprung into action just as the girl shouted.

"Go!" she growled, her own instincts matching his. Wolf loped the three strides to the treeline, throwing them flat against a giant oak, scrabbling around to the safe side. Spots danced in front of his eyes and he reminded himself to breathe again. A few more trees back and he relaxed just a bit more. He had been right about the soldiers wanting to avoid the marshes. Floundering sounds let him know that most of the gypsies had figured out the same thing. The noxious smell of the disturbed swampland blocked his nose and he couldn't scent Elias or the goblin anywhere nearby, but he was not concerned for them. He just wanted his brother safely away.

"Will! Come, I have the cub!" he howled. There was a deafening silence for a long moment. Surely not, he thought, heart skipping a beat. Then...

"Good, about time! Come on then, lets get out of here!"

"Papa!" the cub squeaked from his back as Wolf moved to skirt the beseiged caravans. He almost didn't see the gyspy until he was almost upon her. Lena frowned at him in the shadows. Her eyes took in the scene quickly, then she nodded brusquely.

"Go then, save the child. Goodbye Alice. Don't forget us, nor your mother..."

"Goodbye, lady Lena" stammered Alice as Wolf sidled away from the gypsy queen. With her long skirts knotted up and blood dripping from her serviceable short blade, Wolf had few doubts that she would survive this night. He jumped over the fallen body of a man, noting in passing that the livery was indeed that of soldiers of the House of Red. He wondered if this man had been amongst the travelling party they had seen a few days earlier. Game must indeed be in short supply if they were resorting to ambushing gypsies. But it was high time to leave this place. He let out a low series of growls and yips to alert Will to his location. It was only minutes before his brother came crashing through the shrubs. He was carrying an arrow in his hand and was covered in a great deal of blood.

"Lets go" he said, barely acknowledging his cub. His eyes glowed the same bright hunting red as Wolf's had done all along. He turned and led the way forward. Within minutes they were knee deep in murky marshes. Will stopped short, seemingly at a loss as to which direction to go. Wolf, who had been through these marshes before, stepped up to tap his brother's shoulder.

"This way. Keep an ear out for the others" he said in a low voice, staring at Will. "You're hurt" he said finally, blinking at the rich red drops of blood that pattered on the crushed reeds. The arrow which he had first thought his brother to be carrying was in fact stuck straight through his hand. Will glanced at it. The wicked point lay several inches from the centre of his palm.

"It's nothing, leave it be for now. Go, get us away" he said quietly, only then belatedly smiling at his daughter. "Hello Alice"

"Papa"

"Come" Wolf said, tugging on his brother's sleeve. He led the way along the edge of the swamp, eyes and ears ever on the alert for waiting soldiers. But there were none. Perhaps they had been fewer in number than he'd thought, or hadn't expected to find so many gypsies travelling together. Whatever the reason, they had withdrawn, leaving only the natural night sounds of marsh and forest in their wake. After a little way a small stone came flying out of the murk to tap Wolf. The pale green head of the goblin revealed itself.

"Ah, there you are. Thought we'd lost you, we did" Clayface said as he came forward, half-dragging Elias with him. Wolf had the distinct impression that Elias was disappointed to find him whole and unharmed. But he was too tired to bristle about it. He cast about in the dark for the right direction and led the weary group westwards. He wanted to put at least a few hours between them and the chaos of the ruined gypsy camp. He stared hard at the injury Will had sustained. The blood flow was much less, at least. He could only hope that the arrow point had not been poisoned as so many were these days.

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Scarlett twisted uncomfortably on her travelling cot. Admittedly, it was a bigger and softer bed than many in her Kingdom possessed, but the luxurious drapes and feathered cushions gave her little comfort this night. She toyed with the idea of calling her personal massuese to rub her aching back but decided against it. The woman was good, but she chattered just a bit too much. Scarlett tossed once more before giving up and swinging her legs over the side. Her bare toes tickled against the wolfskin rug on the floor. The walls of her pavillion billowed gently in the night breeze. She could tell by the position of the sliver of moon that it wasn't as late as she had first thought it. It was quiet in the camp, more than usual because a great portion of her guardsmen had veered off to intercept some gypsy folk. Some chickens had been stolen from village a way back. Scarlett thought it more likely a rouge fox than a bunch of gypsies, but she had given the men permission to find out for sure anyway. They were bored, they said. Well, Scarlett knew all about how to handle bored men at arms. Fighting or women. They would just as likely get either from the gypsies.

She drew aside the heavy drape and stepped out. She was attired for the night, and the two men guarding her tent knew better than to look directly at her. One of them coughed politely.

"Anything I can get for you, My Lady?"

"No. But build up the fire a little. I wish to sit there". Scarlett kept her words simple, not because she believed the guardsman a fool, but because as few words as possible gave little indication of what she truly wanted. Her cheeks flamed at the scandal that would cause. But she was a queen. A lonely queen. She strolled over to the central fire. Her minstrel, thinking she wanted him to sing for her, made to scrabble to his feet, but she waved him away. She sat upon her raised chair and put her hands out to the flames. It was chill tonight and many of her court ladies were grumbling to themselves when they thought she couldn't hear them. But none would dare to ask her directly where they were going, and why. Only her head guard knew their destination. He and the stranger with the mask. This same man hovered on the edge of the firelight. On impulse, Scarlett waved him over.

"Why do you wear that mask?"

"I am grievously scarred, Lady Queen. I would not wish to inflict my countenance on your prescence" the man replied. Scarlett was intrigued at his words. Spoken as fair as any courtier, yet with a rough, untutored edge to them. Maybe he was just a simple peasant after all, raised well above his station to run errands for his mistress. Scarlett thought about the message he had delivered to her. Although unsigned, she guessed that it had been written at the behest of someone with power. A woman perhaps, for only another woman would understand her hidden pain so well. _Your heart hungers for justice_. Just those opening words had been enough to capture Scarlett's attention. The man stood awkwardly in her presence. How much did he know? Scarlett knew she would be mortified if such things were known to common folk. Only her closest advisors might have guessed. The Queen recalled the day well.

She'd been standing about in her carefully arranged 'robes of state', the flame red hood and tall riding boots that were the symbols of her house. Recognizeable anywhere, those garments were, but her dressing maid had clearly forgotten to have someone wear in the new leather of the boots. Scarlett was musing over how to suitably punish the foolish girl when he had appeared. The soon to be King Wendell made a grand entrance, sliding unexpectedly down the banister railing and into the smothering crowd of royalty. Scarlett had only ever seen rather pompous portraits of the Prince, such as all Kings and Queen had comissioned. He had seemed fair enough of face in the one she had secretly bargained for in a village marketplace years earlier. In the flesh he was impressive. Taller than she imagined, impeccably coiffed and turned out, with a certain _puppyish_ appeal in his eyes that brought an almost discernable blush to Scarlett's cheeks. But she was a royal lady, as well schooled in the hiding of true emotions as he would have been. So she was proud that she was able to deliver her first words to him, as part of his coronation 'challenge' with a cool and calm exterior. It would do her cause no good at all if his courtiers guessed that she had already decided to make a play for his hand. Royal courtships were ever about polite nothings on the surface and ruthless negotiations behind the scenes.

In between the pre-arranged challenge's and the Prince's responses (which Scarlett thought to be highly amusing parodies) there had been fine music and dancing. Wendell had gone first to the old maid, Cinderella, who had commandeered the only chair availible in the room. Scarlett might have despised her for that reason alone, since her feet hurt so much. But the crone had only lasted part of one dance with her over enthuastic partner, and so the way had become clear at last. Her people had already approached his people, and she saw one of them bend to whisper in Wendell's ear. His smile, when he turned it on her, with dazzling. Scarlett had fought hard not to look too impressed as he took her hand for a waltz. He hadn't seemed such an accomplished dancer for a Prince, but Scarlett had been swept away nonetheless, her aching feet left far behind. As the tune wound down, he released her from his arms and his eyes, affecting a formal bow that openly proclaimed her higher status.

"Queen Scarlett. It has been a grrr...honour to meet you at last". Scarlett bent forward in what was not quite a curtsey, sure that her cheeks were proclaiming to the whole room her scandalous thoughts.

"The House of Red greets the House of White". It was the proper, formal response expected of her. Would that she be able to say what she really wanted to. _Will you court me, fair Prince? _He had disappeared in a cloud of further questions and salutations. Many noble ladies fawned over him, but Scarlett had already sized them up. None of them had what she had to offer.

"For the Royal Toast, my lady". The liveried servant interupted her thoughts, handing her a silver goblet. The servant's eyes roved over her blankly and made her shiver in spite of the warmth in her heart. The stuff in the goblet looked odd, but she had quaffed it without a second's hesitation as her hopefully soon-to-be husband downed his own. A sudden fire burned in her belly and throat, and then everything went black.

A coal from the fire popped and singed the back of her hand. Scarlett jumped as the strange messenger reached down to lift it up to the light. The Queen was momentarily outraged. How dare he touch her so? But she was suddenly too heartsore to protest. The man finished his cursory inspection of the tiny burn.

"It's nothing, my Lady Queen. But, does it cause you great pain?". Scarlett knew her smile to be a frozen mask.

"Oh yes. It hurts"

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Virginia hurried forward. A growing urgency sped her steps. She had not stopped to sleep or rest for many hours since the second revelation of the mirror. Only her new knowledge of herself made her pause from time to time to take food and water. She was mentally tired with that fuzzy headed feeling, but her body was changing with every hour. Her skin still itched as extra blood flowed to muscles and tendons. Was this similar to what Wolf went through at full moon times? She decided it must be, and yet Elias had never disclosed these sensations to her. Maybe, on that dark moon night, he had not wanted to recognize them. The pain of the final transformation had been clear enough though. Virginia remembered well the sounds of breaking bones and stretching ligaments. His screaming had been worse than the werewolf's unnatural howling. Virginia tightened her resolve. She didn't want it, didn't want it, didn't want it. No matter the near intoxication she was now experiencing or the promise of ultimate power. Virginia didn't doubt what the second mirror had shown her. She would have glorious power and the will to shape the Kingdoms, but she and her army of monsters would ultimately destroy what they sought to save. Save the Kingdoms. From whom? She recalled the woman in the vision. No name or motive came to her. Virginia supposed that she would find out these things in due course. The next mirror would show her, she hoped.

There was a light ahead. It was bright, blinding to her eyes for a few moments as they became accustomed to it. Warm, rose scented air swirled gently as she came forward. Virginia held her breath in anticipation. There were voices ahead. Soft, female voices. Some, deep and musical like the tones of the Goddess, others simple human voices like her own. Virginia all but ran into the chamber, stopping short in wonder at what she saw.

"Congratulations, and welcome, Virginia"

"Who...who are you all?"

"We are the Circle of Sisters, Virginia. Come here, little one, and join us"


	23. Chapter 23

Circle Of Sisters

23. _The Circle_

They had been climbing steadily for the past couple of hours, Wolf guessed. His legs and back ached, but he wanted to reach their destination before he allowed them a rest. Behind him trailed the goblin Clayface, followed by Will, with Elias bringing up the rear. The cub Alice still clung gamely to Wolf's back, but he could feel her exhaustion all the same. Her eyes had been glazed on the few times he had set her down as they had scrambled over rough boulders. Wolf felt sorry for her, but he knew he couldn't spend the time to coddle her right now. He stopped to catch his breath on a large stone that had tumbled down from the heights in distant times. From his vantage, he judged that they were now well out of range of any of the Red soldiers who might want to follow them. It was now very late in the night, and the thin crescent of moon had already set. It was dark and dangerous to try and climb up to the Coven Lake and no humans would try it till at least daylight. If they bothered at all. Maybe they had taken more of a thrashing from the gypsies than they had planned on. Or maybe the gypsies, desperate to create a diversion, had sold them out to the soldiers. Yes, two wolves and a cub. They're the ones you're after. They went this way. Wolf just didn't know, so he kept them moving. At least if they made the top of the range, there were many places about the Lake that could shelter them.

Wolf hopped down from his perch. Will, crouched on his haunches, stared at him balefully. He looked sick, thought Wolf, biting back the sudden fear. Will had bound up the wound after Wolf had pulled forth the nasty quarrel. Wolf had sniffed carefully at the arrow tip, sensing a faint noxious presence which might have indicated poison, but he wasn't sure. Now, looking at his brother, he was sure. His resolve firmed. All the more reason to get to the Lake. His brother needed time and space to shake off the poison, and the waters of the Lake were said by many to be healing, were they not?

"Come, get up" he said with more sharpness than he intended. "It's only a few more miles to the Lake". Will looked like he was going to make one his sardonic replies, but he just struggled to his feet instead. Clayface went to take his arm, and Elias came up to his other side. It said much about the sickness that his brother meekly accepted their help, thought Wolf. Alice stared at her father dully as Wolf scooped her up to his broad shoulders again. He turned and led the way forward.

Pale pink streaks lined the eastern sky as their tortuous climb finally ended. The Coven Lake lay exactly as Wolf remembered it, but he was almost too tired to admire the view. She lay as still as any mill pond, despite her size. Longer than she was wider, she stretched out along the steep sides of high peaks on three sides. Though he had never done so, Wolf knew that if you climbed those peaks you could look out over the narrow ocean strait to the 6th Kingdom as it slumbered it's 100 year curse away. The fourth boundary, where Wolf and his companions stood, was a narrow shore, broken up in places by huge boulders the size of houses. Stands of dark forest edged right down to the water in places. To his left, the Lake emptied onto the lowlands via a series of waterfalls, marking the start of the Ruby River as it wound it's way through the 2nd Kingdom and thus onwards to all the other Kingdoms. The vast snow capped peaks melted but once a year and they ran down the sides to replenish the Coven Lake. It got very cold at this altitude, but she never froze over and she never stopped flowing her life into the Kingdoms. Wolf had come here once before, years and years ago, and it was as silent a place now as it had been then. No folk dwelt along the shores of the Lake, and Wolf guessed that probably even half of the total population of the Kingdoms didn't even know she existed.

Tired as he was, Wolf still bent his head a moment in deference to the Lake and he sensed from behind him that the others were also captivated by the beauty of the place. He shook out his cramped legs as he scouted the shore line for some likely spot where they could shelter for the day. But he was also looking for Virginia, he had to admit. The need to see her once more was almost so strong that his overtired mind conjured her there, standing on the very lip of the water, arms outstretched to meet him...He coughed and blinked and she was gone. Nor was there any obvious sign that she had been there. Wolf scratched at his temple, but decided to be worried about it later.

Not far along from where they had made their stumbling entrance was a pile of broken boulders and old logs. The small party made their way there without even concious consultation. Wolf helped his brother to a comfortable spot, dragging old branches for him to sit on. Elias stood by, still fidgety despite the long climb.

"Will you get wood?" Wolf asked him, grateful for the moment that someone in the group still had energy to spend. Elias nodded and stepped out in the direction of a stand of trees. Wolf placed the cub down next to her father whilst he rummaged around in his pack for his flint to be ready for the firewood. When Elias returned, he went down to fetch water, which Wolf heated in his small kettle.

"Give me your hand" he said to Will, but his brother held it close, tucked under his other arm.

"It's 'salright, Wolf"

"It's not, and you know it. Now, hand it over". Wolf unwound the blood soaked bandage from the reluctantly proffered hand. The wound itself looked clean enough, with no ragged edges or copious bleeding. But the skin around it was a dark purple colour which was tracking outwards, following the veins under the skin. Will stared at it calmly.

"It's done for. Cut it off"

"No"

"Then give me the knife. I'll do it myself"

"Huff puff no. Don't be foolish. Cutting it off is a last resort. There are many things we can try before that!"

"If you say so, little brother..."

"I do say so!" Wolf responded, though in truth he had very little idea about what to do about it. He supposed Will knew that too. Maybe the goblin? Clayface spoke before he could ask.

"I can make a few things that might help, slow it down at least"

"A tight tension bandage will help too" added Elias, putting more wood to the fire. The flames crackled merrily but did nothing to alleviate Wolf's inner chill. But he nodded at the man. Clayface jumped up and went down to the water's edge. With his green fingers he fished around in the silt, gathering some of it together. Small wriggling things moved in the mud as he applied it to the hole in Will's hand. Wolf didn't like the look of it much, but at least somebody was doing something. He wished they were in the lands of his people, where many remedies were known for such things. Will's own half-wolf metabolism would help somewhat, he knew, in just the same way that Wolf had once survived the poison laced meat given him in the 10th Kingdom. Willem had sunk down to lay prone on the ground, his body racked with chills and fevers already. His daughter-cub Alice sat mute next to him. Poor cub, thought Wolf, to lose her mother and now see her father so sick.

"Are you hungry Alice?" he asked her, hoping to distract her with the most obvious question to get a cub's attention. She smiled at him briefly, nodding.

"Let's go and see if we can find anything to eat, Alice" said Elias suddenly, holding out his hand to her. Wolf looked him over carefully before indicating his agreement to the plan. Whatever he thought about Elias and his actions, he had little fear that a small child would be harmed by the man. Just as long as they were back well before nightfall with it's dark new moon.

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Virginia knew she was staring rudely, but she couldn't help it. After all her travails and adventures to get to this point, this odd collection of people and other beings were the last thing she had expected. It was a smallish round cavern much like the others she had passed though. In the centre was a low wall, enclosing a pond of silver water. Around the outside, in a loose circle, were several chairs of varying shapes and sizes. Virginia's eyes went first to the only person in the room that she knew. Snow White rose to enfold her in her arms as Virginia all but ran into her embrace.

"Hello again, Virginia". The voice, so calm and loving, was just as she remembered it. Snow White smoothed back Virginia's hair. Virginia wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

"Snow White, is it really you? What are you doing here? No, wait, what am I doing here? On, don't answer..." Virginia rambled, her cheek resting still on the oh-so-traditional clothes that Snow wore. The Queen of White laughed softly, turning her around to face the others who looked on with various expressions on their faces. Virginia gazed at them, one by one, as Snow White did the introductions.

"First, we have here the Lady Rapunzel" she said, gesturing to the nearest woman, though in fact Virginia could not imagine this person to be anyone else. Long golden hair, shining and rippling with a life of it's own, cascaded from her head. It was braided into two plaits of at least six feet long. Virginia almost winced at the memory of the endless tugging and jolting that had caused her so much pain when her hair had been that long. Rapunzel fingered one of her tresses thoughtfully, and when she smiled, as she did now, her face seemed to light up from within, pale blue eyes sparkling above rosy cheeks. Exactly like a storybook princess, thought Virginia, blushing at her own drab garb and unwashed face. "The Lady Rapunzel founded the 6th Kingdom, as you know" continued Snow White. Virginia nodded, thinking hard.

"Then, the Sleeping Beauty...?"

"Aurora is my grandaughter. She and all my Kingdom are ensorcelled by a horrid curse. Turned my back for one minute and wham! Look what happened! Honestly, I was just a fool to think they could handle things!" Rapunzel answered with heat. Virginia was shocked to hear such a serene looking woman spit angry words like that. Snow White patted her arm.

"Don't worry about Rapunzel" she whispered in Virginia's ear. "She _does _go on and on about it". She nudged Virginia's attention away from the flushed princess towards another woman. This woman had deep brown, grave looking eyes. In her homespun peasant style garments with practical boots instead of dainty slippers, Virginia could only guess at her identity.

"Gretel the Great?" she asked, and the woman grinned broadly, bobbing a small curtsey in Virginia's direction.

"Pleased to meet you, Virginia" she said, smoothing her skirts and apron as she seated herself once more. She picked up a piece of lace and resumed tatting at it. Virginia liked her immediately. Gretel had been but a peasant girl when she had come to found the southern 2nd Kingdom and her obvious ease at being surrounded by princesses and queens put Virginia at ease also. Snow was gesturing to the next woman. Like Gretel and Rapunzel, this woman was easy to identify simply by the cut of her clothes. She was wrapped in a bright red cloak, the hood of it drawn up to cover her blonde hair. Her cheeks were pink, but her eyes were cold as she stared at Virginia.

"This is Ruby, the First Queen Riding Hood". Virginia dipped her head slightly at Snow's words. Having met this woman's grandaughter, the Queen Scarlett, at Wendell's post-coronation celebration, she could easily see the resemblence. The silence stretched between them, making Virginia's skin prickle. Above all things, she positively hated to be pre-judged by someone who didn't know her. She supposed this Ruby might consider her a tainted woman for her having a relationship with a wolf, and bearing cubs to one as well. It made her angry suddenly, and she lifted her chin to stare down the cloaked queen with a cold glare of her own. The air in the chamber seemed to ripple with power, and Virginia became aware of Snow White, chuckling quietly at her side. The others, Rapunzel and Gretel, also had wide smiles. Snow White broke the silence, directing her words at Ruby.

"You see? I told you she'll be alright". Ruby threw back her hood with a dismissive gesture, but her eyes twinkled as she looked Virginia up and down.

"Yes, I think you're right Snow. She'll do very well indeed!"

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Wolf's head was nodding forward on his knees. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so tired. His eyelids felt like they had lead weights attached to them. He struggled against the tide. He should remain on the alert. They were in risky territory. Although he didn't fear the Lake itself, many strange and powerful creatures dwelt along her shores. He had once seen a rare snow griffin, circling the mountain peaks on high thermals as his much younger self had stood on this very same shore. Other odd and unnamed souls lived out their days in this region too. Even wolf's tended to stay away unless absolutely necessary. They stuck to the lower moors and slopes, using the Wolf Pass to the east to make their way into southern lands.

He jumped as an unnatural sound intruded. It was now mid afternoon. He cursed quietly. There was no sign of the goblin, nor of Elias and Alice. The fire had burned down. Beside it, Will lay, curled up in obvious discomfort as his teeth chattered and muscles twitched. Wolf felt a pang of concern. And yet, if the poison was to prove lethal to his brother, surely it would have done so by now. Will looked sick and exhausted still, but very much alive despite his weakened state. Yet far greater dangers beset them now. Stealthy sounds came from all around the camp site. They were surrounded already. Will whispered a small growl to him.

"Go, get away now!"

"No, I'm not leaving you"

"For Virginia! Do it, fool!"

"Too late anyway, brother". Wolf knew the truth even as he spoke it. Humans were here. Damned Red soldiers had come after them. A man's voice spoke harshly from the undergrowth.

"Submit, or die where you stand, wolf". The voice was cold, and sneering. Wolf fought back his own sudden rise in aggression. He had little choice in the matter, which they all knew anyway. His mind raced. Virginia, no sign of her. Clayface, snuck off to some mud pit most likely. Elias? Maybe hiding, watching. Maybe half way to wherever with his tiny hostage. Few options then. Still, they hadn't been shot on sight. That left a small chance of bargaining, lying or sneaking their way out of this.

"We submit. We have no weapons" he called out.

"None that we can't relieve you of, wolf" said the man, stepping forward now. Though his face and words radiated confidence, his bearing still betrayed his unease, as did the ready wariness of the men who kept their bows drawn to cover him. As he should, thought Wolf, though he was careful to keep his own expression suitably cowed. He wanted no young hotshot getting the trembles and making a fatal slip of the fingers. He wondered what the soldiers would do. By law, all accused wolf's, and part wolf's especially were to be given fair trial, though all knew how unlikely that was to ever happen. If the accused ever made it to trial anyway.

"Do you have cause to arrest us?" he asked, knowing the stupidity of the question.

"I but follow my Lady's instructions. It is she who has cause against you, wolf". The man responded automatically. Wolf sensed a parting in the ranks of armed men and a sudden deference as they bowed their heads. The blaze of red cloak gave away the identity of the royalty that approached, but Wolf was still stunned to see the Queen Scarlett herself. He recalled her well. And behind her, another shock. A masked and hooded man, unidentifiable by humans, yet Wolf's senses knew him immediately. Connor stood at ease beside the pale queen and Wolf fancied he could see straight through the wicker mask to the gloating smile behind it.


	24. Chapter 24

Circle of Sisters

24. _Coventina's Cavern_

Virginia stared openly in amazement as the water in the small enclosed pond fought against gravity to lift itself up. She just couldn't take her eyes off the manifestation of the Goddess Coventina. A large, almost rotund figure, with great motherly breasts and hips, formed completely out of water. The face was essentially featureless, with just a bare suggestion of eyes and mouth. The Goddess exuded power. It made Virginia's hair stand up on end, reminding her vaguely of that odd crackling pressure one felt in the air before a downpour of rain. At her side, she was barely aware of Snow bending forward in a small bow of respect. Virginia felt like throwing herself flat on the ground like nuns did when prostating themselves before God. But she had no fear of Coventina, she realised, and so was able to keep standing. The other women had also nodded their greetings to the Goddess and had resumed their seats with barely a ripple of concern. Virginia guessed that little get togethers like this one were common.

"No, not as common as you would think, Virginia" spoke Coventina, using her mouth to shape the words instead of placing them in Virginia's mind as she had done before.

"It needs quite a lot of energy for us to gather together. We are all immaterial in form. Dead for years and years, most of us". Ruby cut in, pinching her own arm as if to test the realness of her own appearance.

"Except for that Cinderella woman. Vain old soul, just refuses to die, that one!" added Rapunzel. Gretel tutted from her chair.

"Nay, it's not her fault she won't die" she said, not even looking up at Rapunzel from her embroidery. Rapunzel pursed her lips thoughtfully.

"Well, it's just not right, I say. I've said it before, and I still believe it. That Queen uses magic to stay alive. Would that we be able to do the same. Things wouldn't be in such a state if we were still able to shape the world as living people!" she said, twisting her golden braids between her fingers. Snow White sighed goodnaturedly as Virginia stood in disbelief at the quarrelling ladies. She could scarcely keep from laughing out loud. They were nothing like she had ever expected, but then Virginia could not remember ever expecting to meet these fairy tale heroines of times past.

"Hush, sisters! Let us not waste our valuable energy squabbling. We did enough of that when we were alive. Our sister Cinderella will come to us when the time is right" Snow White intoned gravely, but her cheeks were pink with repressed smiles. She pointed to a chair that Virginia had not seen yet. "Please, be seated amongst us, Virginia. I'm sure you have many questions". Virginia looked long at the chair. Did sitting down with these women mean that she was committing herself to something? Snow White took her hand, reading her reluctance.

"Don't be afraid Virginia. Sit with us, please. It only means that we see you as one of us, or, more like how we once were, as young women. And as you can see, we don't always agree with each other. We respect you too much to try and bind you to any task without your will"

"You respect me?" Virginia asked, hesitant.

"But of course. None of your doings on behalf of the Kingdoms have gone unnoticed, Virginia. Even I hold you in great regard". Ruby answered.

"And _that's_ a rare thing indeed!" spoke out Rapunzel, winking in Virginia's direction. Ruby's face flamed, but she withheld her retort. Virginia took the seat, feeling much more at ease. But it was disconcerting to find that she could see Gretel's smile right through the transparent form of the Goddess. Coventina stretched out her arm to touch Virginia's breasts and belly suddenly.

"We should be thankful that you carry a girl-child, Virginia. I don't know whether a male infant would survive here" she said in a direct fashion. Virginia, who had already guessed of her pregnancy from Wolf's cagey behaviour and the vision of herself as werewolf in the cold northern palace, felt a sudden tug of love from that place only mothers had. A daughter. So very new, so tiny, just a bundle of cells and hope. Wolf would be happy, she thought, thinking about him. Was he close? Would she see him again soon? Snow White cleared her throat softly and Virginia came back to reality, focussing her thoughts. Questions, questions. Where to even start?

"Why you, Coventina? Why not some other...deity?"

"Coventina is the Goddess of the Waters in the 9 Kingdoms, Virginia" answered Snow White. "Magic is formed where there is life, and all life is formed only where there is water. So, in essence, Coventina is the Goddess of earthly magics. This, illness that had contaminated your body, it is a physical thing. It dwells within your cells, your blood. It seemed logical to us that Coventina attempt this thing, because no mortal magic worker in these Kingdoms have ever seen or learned the way of such a curse" she continued. The Goddess rippled as her form twisted to smile at Virginia.

"Can you remove this curse from my body, Coventina?"

"Very soon, Virginia. When Lucine arrives"

"Lucine?"

"The Goddess of the Moon. She wishes to see you first. But, the sun has yet to set on the world above"

"Oh, of course. Sorry"

"It's alright Virginia. You are new to us, and we to you, despite everything you have accomplished in your life already"

"I thought I was finished with all that stuff. I thought that I could live out my days happily, forget my mother and what I did to her, raise my children, love Wolf as much as I can. But something's happening, isn't it? Something more than my just becoming a werewolf. Fate had picked me again, hasn't it?". Virginia knew her words were laced with sudden bitterness, but, looking around her, she knew that this audience more than any other would understand. All of them had no doubt wished for similar things and had cursed when the path to them grew dark and dangerous. Snow White's story she knew by heart. Rapunzel, locked up in a tower, away from her lover, only able to watch as he falls, broken to the ground, his eyes ruined by the thorn wall. Gretel, abandoned by her own father to die in the woods. Imprisoned, helpless whilst her brother is fattened for the oven. But Ruby? What had _really_ gone on in that cottage that day? Ruby was the only one whose struggle Virginia had no insight into. All the ladies looked lost in their own thoughts.

"You're right, Virginia. This is bigger than your own curse. And yet, I think this monster wolf was set upon you on purpose". Virginia felt chilled at the words.

"On purpose? By Elias?"

"No, not he. Another, who even now plots and schemes to send her endless winter down upon the lands. It was her doing, we are sure of it. But she got it wrong, somewhat. It's my belief, Virginia, that she did not intend for you to survive the attack that night. I think she sought only to turn the spell, so that the man would transform at an unexpected time, perhaps to kill both you and Wolf. She did not understand the unique danger that threatens those touched by werewolves. So, the fact that you did live, and more, that you gained strength from it, she did not foresee that! And yet even she does not clearly see the danger of you having access to the power of the monster-wolf. Only you and I know what would happen, Virginia"

"Happen? What are you talking about, Coventina?". It was Ruby, cutting in once more.

"It is for Virginia's knowledge only, Ruby" answered the Goddess. "But it matters not. Virginia has rejected the power, haven't you?"

"I have. With all my heart, I have. To leave me like this would be to bring down upon the Kingdoms a far greater threat than you know" Virginia answered, speaking as much to Ruby as to the Goddess. Little Riding Hood the elder looked powerfully curious all the same, but she nodded in apparent acceptance. Virginia took her cue from the Goddess and decided to refrain from telling them everything she had seen in the vision. A whole land decimated, overrun with monsters against whom there were no defences. And she their Queen, presiding over her werewolf people. Yes, there would be peace, and plenty for all, but that was only because there were no people left alive. Virginia shivered and drew her silken cloak close around her. Silk? She fingered the fine fabric, seeing belatedly that her plain, ordinary clothes had been transformed into a beautiful gown, a long robe and dainty slippers. A small circlet of silver was bound about her brow. Snow White sighed deeply and Coventina smiled at Virginia.

"Sorry. I couldn't help myself". Virginia knew she referred to her trick with the clothes.

"It's alright. It's only the outer stuff"

"Very true. And you'll need more than fancy clothes to face what comes down from the north"

"Who is she, anyway? Does she have a name?"

"Come and look into the Mirror here, Virginia" said Coventina, gesturing to the pool of water that she was in fact manifesting herself in. The Goddess' form scattered suddenly into thousands of tiny droplets, all falling back into the pool with tinkling notes. "Virginia, take note. I cannot control nor see for myself all that will be revealed here to you. Only from the portents, the groaning of the land, the whisperings of the sensitives have I gleaned what knowledge I have". The soft voice faded away. Virginia rose from her chair to approach the pool, sitting down on the low wall. Her eyes met Snow White's for a moment, but the great Queen just nodded, and then turned her face away. Virginia saw that the others had done the same, as if to give her the privacy. Or maybe they just didn't want to know. Virginia had a sudden memory. An old gypsy queen, reaching to snip a lock of hair. _You have a great destiny which stretches way back in time. _Virginia fought down the sense of impending disaster and looked into the water.

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Scarlett had spent many nights in the past year imagining this scene. The half-wolf, known only as Wolf, stood as freely as he could, which wasn't all that much, given that he was lashed to the upright post of her travelling pavillion. She observed him quite openly. It was actually very rare that anyone within the inner circle of royalty in the 2nd Kingdom spent any amount of time with a half-wolf. Excepting that day following Wendell's faked coronation, Scarlett hadn't seen one since she was a girl, much less conversed with one. Scarlett remembered hiding at the back of the throne room as a child, fascinated in spite of the knowledge of the thrashing she would receive were she to be discovered there. But she had been surprised by the sudden furtive appearance of her mother. Imagine, the Queen Auburn sneaking about like a dishonest servant. Together they had stood in silence, looking on at a trial held in the throne room. Even at five years of age as she was then, Scarlett had percieved the one-sidedness of the whole affair. No one spoke for the wolf on that day. In fact, the accused had said very little in his own defence. Scarlett recalled her mother's words to her as they watched from behind the heavy drapes that sectioned off this part of the palace from the private quarters of the royal family.

"Ah, we've been after this one for years. Look well upon this animal, Scarlett"

"He looks just like a man, mother"

"Yes, many of them do. But remove those fancy clothes, run a stray lamb before it, and then you see it for what it truly is, daughter. You cannot trust them. They think only of themselves, their own kind. They have no love for us, no mercy. Don't ever forget this. When you are queen of these lands, you will have to spend considerable time and men to control them, lest they build up their numbers again"

"Is he the one, mother? The one who stole the baby?". Scarlett remembered vividly the look that had stolen over her mother's features at the mention of Princess Rose. She winced in anticipation of a slap or scold. But Queen Auburn had only smiled sadly.

"I didn't think you remembered me telling you that, Scarlett. You must have been only 3 when I first told you"

"Sometimes the servants talk about her, mother" Scarlett had replied without thinking too far ahead at the likely punishment those servants would receive. Her mother's face had a shadow over it, but it was an interesting shadow, like someone with deep secrets.

"What do they say, Scarlett?" Queen Auburn asked, casual enough despite her expression.

"Only that the baby Princess was stolen from her cradle on the day of her, I mean, when you, had her, mother. They think it a great shame that the midwife was blamed as well as the wolves. Was she, mother?"

"This is adults talk now, Scarlett. You are not to concern yourself with these things any longer. It happened a long time before you were born, and now, one day, you will take the throne in your sister's place"

"But if..."

"Enough, child". Scarlett knew that tone in her mother's voice. The topic was closed, but she never forgot it. The then Queen Auburn had led her daughter away, and Scarlett never found out what had happened to the wolf in chains. Maybe he lingered still in her dungeons. Certainly he had not put up much of fight. Not like this wolf. He had not physically resisted her men and their handling of him, no, but in his stance and his deep green eyes, the defiance lurked. As she watched, his gaze swept over her once more, causing gooseflesh to rise. Just as it had done when he had passed her the silver goblet. Scarlett had no doubts that this was the same wolf who had ruined her chance at winning King Wendell's hand. She never forgot faces, especially one's so hypnotic as this one. The drapes at the front of the billowing tent rustled as her head of guard entered, bowing low.

"We have scouted the immediate area, my Lady. There are tracks, of a man's boot and a barefooted child. We have extended our search and will have them soon, I assure you"

"What of the other?"

"It remains very sick, my Lady. It took an arrow through the hand, just as Ver said. Ordinarily, it would be dead by now, but some accursed animal magic is keeping it alive, no doubt. It's put some muddy stuff on the wound that seems to be countering the poison. The waters of this Lake _are_ said to be healing, My Lady" the guard answered. Clearly he was hoping her to give the lethal order. But Scarlett didn't believe in making rash decisions. This group had come up here for a reason, and she wanted to know what that reason was. A sickened wolf would be easier to get information out of, should this one fail to provide.

"Make sure it stays that way. For now, at least" she commanded the man. His disappointment was obvious, but he bowed his obesience to her, backing out of the tent. Scarlett turned back to her captive. He had an interesting look on his face. Clearly he was surprised by her order to keep his companion alive. "Remove his gag" she ordered. The other man in the tent, the strange masked one, dared to draw breath to protest her request.

"My Lady, is that wise? Surely you don't want this demon to sully your ears with it's filthy magics and spells?" he asked with more temerity than Scarlett had supposed he possessed. She narrowed her eyes at him in displeasure, even though he had marginally valid points.

"Do it. You don't know wolves all that well, do you? They have no magic in them, and I am immune to threats, or pleas" she countered. The masked man went to stand behind the wolf, reluctance in every step. And fear, Scarlett noticed. The man's hands were shaking so hard he could barely lift them to release the catch. The wolf twisted his head to spit out the gag that not only kept him voiceless but also covered that part of his mouth where the secret teeth hid. Scarlett fully expected to see those canines bared at her now, so was surprised when the wolf spoke. His voice, low and seductive, was just as she remembered it.

"Queen Scarlett Riding Hood. It's been a while. How have you been?" he asked, as if they were nobles at court enjoying at night's entertainment. Scarlett was perplexed by his manner. But then he turned his head to look at the masked man out of the corner of his eye. "Is that you, Connor? Come and stand where I can see you, boy". Scarlett watched as the man sidled a step ot two in the direction the wolf had indicated, then stop with a glare.

"Don't speak to me, demon"

"Then go away" the wolf said calmly. Scarlett held up her hand to forestall Connor's reply.

"Connor, or whatever your name is, what is this word that you use? This 'demon' word?"

"It is what this thing is. A demon is a monster, a creation of the Lord of Darkness, as is all this accursed land. Horrid things all, in this place, sent to tempt and drive a good man mad. But not Connor, oh no, not me. I have come unscathed through this underworld. The Good Lord has seen fit to grant me my rightful revenge". Scarlett raised her eyebrows. _All_ this accursed land? The wolf was watching the other man closely. Then he directed his next words to her.

"No, I don't know what he's talking about either, Scarlett. He does go on and on about it though" he said with an almost conspiratorial wink at her. Scarlett very nearly laughed out loud, but restrained herself just in time. Clearly this Connor man was deluded if he though half-wolf's were a creation of some dark lord.

"You're wrong, man. Half-wolf's like this one, well they are as common as mice in these lands. And no one God or Goddess created them. They created themselves, by seducing and laying with good human daughters and sons. Some would call them monsters, yes, but to all educated people they are just animals. Smart, yes, good at mimicking humans, definately, but animals all the same. Don't you know your proper history?"

"He doesn't know any history. He's from the 10th Kingdom, Red Queen" the wolf cut in. Scarlett was irritated by his interuption, but amazed also by his revelation. The 10th Kingdom? Were people from that fabled land even now wandering the roads of the 9 Kingdoms? How had he gotten here, if the only reported method of access involved mirrors?

"I can see you're confused..." began the wolf, but Scarlett glared at him.

"Quiet, wolf!" she spoke sharply. It was all too confusing all of a sudden. She just didn't want to deal with all these hidden subplots and details. All she wanted was, what? Revenge? Justice? Whatever one called it, it didn't matter. She turned to the masked man.

"You, get out"

"But, my Lady..."

"Just do it. Wait outside, or go take your stupid ideas to someone who'll listen" she commanded. The man reached to rip off his woven mask, exposing his face. Scarlett flinched at the horrible scar and the empty spot where his eye should have been. No wonder he'd covered himself. It made her gut churn just to look upon it. He threw the mask at the wolf and it fell at his feet. His marred face was ruddy with anger, but he stormed out of the tent anyway. Scarlett drew a deep breath when he had gone. Now, it was just the two of them, alone. Just like her grandmother Ruby, all those years ago.

"Your work?" she asked, gesturing to the broken mask. The wolf nodded, cautious now. Scarlett returned to her gilded seat across from the bound wolf.

"Before we begin, Lady Red, might I caution you not to try and capture those who your men seek. The sun has set, and soon the new moon will rise" the wolf said before she could begin her oft rehearsed speech. Scarlett didn't understand what he meant, but his earnestness was unmistakeable.

"Why is that then?" she said, hating to lower herself by asking him, but curious to find out what he thought he was planning.

"The man you seek is not really a man at all, but a werewolf"

"What is a werewolf?" Scarlett asked, scouring her memories for any mention of any such creature. The wolf paused before looking her straight in the eye.

"Some would call it, My Lady, a demon"

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"Virginia dearest, this may hurt". It was Coventina again, restored to her transparent watery form. Virginia had been sitting in a stunned silence for many minutes. Around her, the former royal ladies whispered behind their hands. Virginia ignored them for the moment, trying to find a calm spot in her whirling thoughts. How much did they know? Something, certainly, else they would not have spent so much energy in summoning her here. But the full vision of the freezing horror that was about to descend on the 9 Kingdoms remained her's alone, it seemed. But why? Virginia trembled at the thought that she might have to face this threat. _But not alone, never alone, my child. _Who was that then, Virginia wondered? It wasn't Coventina's voice, but another. A sudden beam of white light came into the cavern. It bobbed slightly, as though it was a small lantern carried aloft. Virginia turned to face it, seeing that it was in fact very close to the truth. A tall woman, who was not really a woman, but a Goddess, stood looking down on her. The woman was actually carrying a small silver ball of light in one of her upturned hands. She wore a long cloak the covered her features in shadow, but Virginia knew her face. She had seen this deity before, in the woods of her own Kingdom, no less. This was the same figure who had seemed to appear out of the native woman called Shaman. The one who had cradled and healed her precious Wolf. For that reason alone, Virginia might have thrown herself at this Goddess' feet in gratitude, but the figure put a finger to her mouth, forestalling.

"You may not thank me soon" the Goddess said sagely. Her inky black eyes were solemn as she reached forward to offer her hand to Virginia. At her touch, Virginia felt as if every cell in her body leapt in sudden recognition. For some strange reason, she felt shamed. "I am Lucine, the Goddess of the Moon. You are Virginia, my newborn daughter. Your body's cycles have followed mine for many a year. Now, my touch heralds yet another ancient cycle for you. Do you reject my light now, Virginia?". Virginia knew she wept freely. The others in the room were forgotten as she spoke.

"Goddess Lucine, I do". The words hurt fiercely, but she managed to grind them out anyway. She only hoped that the Goddess could see what it had just cost her to say them. It seemed that she did.

"You are a very strong woman, Virginia, to freely accept your mortal limitations. Not many would do the same in your place. Very well then, I also accept, and agree. Come here, Virginia". At Lucine's gesture, Virginia went to stretch out on a low dias that had materialised. Snow White came forward to squeeze her hand, but it did little to relieve her sudden anxiety. Coventina had said it would hurt. As much as Elias had seemed to suffer, or worse? Virginia had a frightening thought about him. Where was he now? The moon was about to rise over the horizon even as she lay down. Her whole body sang with the recognition of it. Someone cradled her head between soft hands as the first wave of agony passed through her. Virginia opened her mouth to scream, but was voiceless. This was bad, worse even than childbirth. Hands held her down. She moaned, a small puff of cooled air escaping her mouth. Spots swam before her eyes. An amazing succession of random images flew through her mind. Wolf, as she had first seen him, ordering a rack of rare chops from the diner. Wolf again, ice frosted on his cheeks as he ploughed doggedly through a great drift outside their cottage. Darkness, a baby crying in the night. Christine, bathed in white light. A long silver knife, gleaming. A priest, praying over her. A little gypsy girl, peeping from behind a tree. A rose, frozen and crushed underfoot.

Virginia felt swept away. She was dimly aware that she lay still upon the dias in the presence of Coventina. It felt like she was being forced through a giant sieve, cell by cell. Through slitted eyes, she saw all the blood of her body surrounding her like a giant net. Drops of inky blackness fell from her fingertips to hiss as they struck the floor. The long tunnel, the one she had seen before, opened up over her head, beckoning. Voices came out of it, but she couldn't work out what they were saying. All the days of her life seemed to stretch outwards to infinity in all directions. For the first time, she understood how precarious any future was.

"It is done". Virginia snapped back into her body with a jolt that lifted her halfway off the platform. Faces swam into view. Snow White, cheeks reddened. Gretel, frowning whilst Ruby stood by pale faced. Rapunzel wept openly, mopping her tears away with a great silk hankerchief. Virginia found words finally.

"Am I myself again?"

"How do you feel?" Lucine asked. Virginia felt of her skin, seeing that she was in one piece after all, despite the waves of agony she had experienced. No coarse hair, no claws or teeth to rend with. She stretched out with her senses. Nothing out of the ordinary. Virginia found that she could not deny the sudden feeling of loss. Normal again. How quickly she had forgotten what it had felt like. Sitting up, Virginia had a moment of concern as her stomach lurched.

"My daughter?" she asked, worried.

"We could not work the reversal on her. She would not have survived it, Virginia. I don't know how it will go with her when the my light shines on her for the first time. Maybe nothing, but, she has had your werewolf tainted blood form her..." Lucine spoke into the charged silence. Virginia felt a pang of guilt greater than any she had known before. My daughter, what have I done to you? "All the same, Hera may not find her to be the heir she seeks" the Moon Goddess added, her voice thoughtful. Virginia felt a jolt of alarm. Hera? What did that old witch have to do with it? Virginia had all but forgotten the unusual role the swamp witch had played in this whole affair, but now her insides felt like they were turned to ice. Was that the price then? Hera would ask for her own child? Virginia's worried musing was interupted by an odd noise. Like words enclosed in bubbles, the unmistakeable voice of Clayface the goblin intruded on the chamber.

"Lady, lady, come...soon...hurry...your wolf". The voice seemed to be coming from the silver pool that Virginia had just looked into. The women and the Goddess' crowded around it, seeing the floating goblin just under the surface, his hands up to it as though he had fallen through ice.

"It seems you must leave us, dear Virginia" said Coventina briskly. Virginia felt momentarily angry. She still had so many questions. She needed advice more than ever. Couldn't Wolf stay out of trouble for one minute without her? She glanced around at the fairytale princesses.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" said Ruby. "Lose that wolf of yours and you'll be no use to anyone!". Virginia smiled and nodded. It was true enough. Quite unexpectedly, the long ago queen came forward to embrace her. Virginia was almost sure that Ruby slipped something into the pocket of her robe as they parted. Ruby's eyes bored into her. For my child, she seemed to say. Virginia nodded at her and Ruby went to stand by the side of Gretel. Coventina started to melt into the pool. When half her torso had mingled with the water, she held out her hands to Virginia.

"Wait, what about Elias? Can you cure him too?"

"Yes, if he wishes it. Just walk him into the Lake, and I will flood it with the power of Lucine and myself. Make sure that only you and he are in the water when this happens! But again, only if he wishes it, Virginia". Virginia was about to ask, what lake? but Snow White stepped up and drew her hand towards the Goddess. Virginia turned to thank her, but already she was being pulled away. The cavern room and it's occupants seemed to spin. At the last minute, Rapunzel darted forward to put something in Virginia's other hand. Then, she and the other's were gone.

Virginia swallowed several mouthfuls of water before she realised that she was in fact in the real stuff once more. Coventina, her form taking the shape of a giant fish, held her securely. Dimly, Virginia could see the goblin swimming beside them, his webbed feet splayed out in frog fashion. Finally, just before she broke surface, Virginia saw an incredible sight, laying at ease on the bottom of the Lake. It was a thing both terrifying and beautiful.

"Was that...what I think it was?" she spluttered as her head broke water. Coventina's fish form seemed to wink at her as she dived back down to the depths. Her voice came from far away.

"Yes. She sleeps, Virginia. Long time, she sleeps. Farewell, daughter. May the waters of the world never flow against you..."

"Coventina! Wait! Come back!". But the Goddess of the Waters was gone. As Virginia stared after her, she beheld something floating up from the depths. It was small, circular and shiny. Without stopping to study it further, she grasped at it, shoving it in her coat pocket. But Virginia felt empty, saddened. Deserted and cold. So tempting to dive back down, try and find the hidden entrance to Coventina's lair. Hidden from the world, safe again. But alone too. She looked around, treading water as she got her bearings. Mountains, partially clouded with heavy mist, framed the giant dark lake she paddled in. Virginia could not recall ever having seen these particular mountains before. She must be a long way from the 4th Kingdom. Clayface suddenly surfaced beside her. His green face blended in perfectly with the deep water, but his gleaming smile could easily be seen.

"Welcome back, Miss Virginia. Follow me, if you will" he garbled, taking the lead towards the shoreline close by. Virginia could see spots of light on the shore, and as she swam closer, she saw that they were torches. A great many torches. And men, moving around in the twilight, gathering wood and setting up tents. The ripples of her passage preceded her to the edge and a man shouted out something, pointing in her direction. Virginia, sincerely glad that she was wasn't naked as she had been in all her recent swimming adventures, stood up, coarse gravel between her toes.


	25. Chapter 25

Circle of Sisters

25. _The Captive Freed_

Wolf flexed his wrists experimentally, testing the limits of the rope the bound him. Would that it were the full moon instead of this dark night, he cursed quietly under his breath. The Goddess would give him the strength to escape. Save his brother, get the cub and Virginia and run for the hills before the moon rose and Elias stalked the land. He cursed the rotten luck that had brought the Red soldiers to this spot on this day. With their very Queen, no less. Except that Wolf didn't really believe in luck having anything to do with it. Now that he had seen the boy, Connor (and Wolf could only ever think of him as such), he had little doubt that someone had set the Queen and her men on this particular path for a reason. In the back of his mind there was an evil sounding cackle suddenly. Wolf scowled fiercely, mustering as much mental energy as he could to dispel the swamp witch from his thoughts. He pushed it away, with effort, and added to it with a little sneer of his own. Go ahead and laugh, witch, but I am coming for _you _first. His lips must have been moving, for he had the attention of the Queen at once.

"What is that you say, wolf?". Her voice was as haughty as he remembered overhearing it at Wendell's Coronation ball. He almost smiled at her obvious ire at having to address him with his name, instead of just 'wolf'. A totally unexpected bonus, choosing to call himself Wolf, he thought to himself. Even someone like the Queen of the Second Kingdom had to use it, for there was no other option. It lessened her hold over him, he knew. Made it sound like they were having a normal conversation. She raised her pale blonde eyebrows at him , but did not stoop to repeat the question.

"I was talking to Hera" he answered anyway.

"Hera?"

"The Swamp Witch. She sent you here, did she not?"

"I...ah"

"You don't know? This letter you recieved, the one you're hiding behind your back, you didn't know who sent it, yet you followed it's suggestions?" Wolf asked, feeling incredulous. Scarlett's quickly concealed blush told him the truth of his guess. "Let me get this right. You receive an anonymous letter, bidding you make haste to this location. What if it were a trap? What was offered of such value to you that you would take this risk? Me?" Wolf continued, his instincts telling him to keep his voice soft and non-threatening. The Red Queen gulped and swallowed and he knew he had hit on the truth. But her motives for wishing him harm were likely many, so he waited out the heavy silence, knowing she was about to spill all her deepest secrets to him. He risked a glance over his shoulder, seeing the sky darkening. The sun had set. Only a few minutes to moonrise now. The swish of the Queen's rich fabrics recalled his attention to the here and now. She paced back and forth in agitation.

"Yes, damn it, it was you! There, are you happy now? All these past long months I have dreamed about getting you. You, who spoiled all my plans, my future. You, with your damnable honour, your bravery, your thwarting of the Evil Queen. Earned you a nice reward, didn't it? Made a Hero, given a nice commission, garnered a pardon for your kind, a place at the court of White...". Wolf heard her silent stumble over the last part, and all of a sudden it fell into place. Of course. Risky to mention it, but he felt compelled to.

"You loved him. Wendell, I mean. You loved him...". Scarlett's rising sob that she was unable, or unwilling, to hide, burst forth. Wolf was partially horrified. It was one thing to see any woman cry, but a queen? He spoke into the charged silence, putting the pieces together. "And so, you looked on him, and loved and desired him. Then I come along. Bad enough that I save your life, but then Wendell goes ahead and rewards me for it, except not only me, but all wolf's in that Kingdom. And your courtiers, your stuffy advisors, they know nothing, for when can a queen let her desires be known? Then they gather about and whisper, how horrible, how awful for that King to bow down before such nasty animals. Out loud, they pity whoever that King finally chooses to be his Queen. And how proud are they that none of their royal family would taint themselves with wolf-lovers. And so they go on, and you go home alone..."

The queen continued weeping, wiping her face with a corner of her sleeve. "It's true, curse you, but it's true" she whispered. Wolf doubted that anyone else knew of these things. Riding Hood's were a proud family. Revelling in the abilities to stay strong in the face of danger. Or heartbreak. But not this scion of the line, thought Wolf unhappily. The worst part was of course that he could sympathise entirely with her. He knew what true love felt like, intimately. Many nights, he had imagined how he might live out his life if he lost his Virginia. Even the thought of it hurt.

"I'm sorry" he said at last. Queen Scarlett looked up at him from behind her sleeve. Her red puffy face was damp, her eyes unfocussed. Whatever she saw when she looked at him, Wolf had no idea. It came to him suddenly that her damnable Red pride could kick in at any moment, and no way would she suffer him to live now that he knew her hidden pain. But even as she strove to find words, the night was rent with an unearthly noise. Wolf wanted to close his ears. That horrible howl he had heard in his mind many times over the past weeks. There was a quiet commotion amongst the men of the camp. Somewhere, he heard a woman cry out in fear. The queen had blanched as white as he had ever seen anyone.

"What...was that?" she said. Wolf could see her trembling hands as she fought not to show fear. "What, is, that?" she asked again, moving to stand in front of him.

"It's a wolf, my Lady. But wait!" he said as she turned to call out to her guards, "it's not like any wolf you have seen or heard of. This thing is three times the size. It has no fear, no reason. It lives only to hunt and kill. Tell your men to flee this thing. Get your women and courtiers and get away, fast!"

"But, but it's full dark. We would never survive the chase down that mountain!"

"Then come together, make a defensive circle, anything! Stick together. Maybe it won't attack if there are numbers against it" Wolf answered, feeling a rising panic. Of course the thing would attack. Wolf firmly believed that it would try and break through the lines, if only to get at him in particular. Outside, there was the clinking of weapons being drawn and armed, men rushing to and fro. The queen looked at a loss. One of her guard, the captain, Wolf thought, thrust through the hanging drapes.

"Forgive me, my Queen..." he started, going down on one knee.

"I heard it, Captain"

"We are unsure, my Lady...what to do. It's a thing that none of us have heard before. Like to a wolf, it is, but something more...perhaps one of the foul creatures that cross from the 8th Kingdom from time to time...it's coming this way, making a great racket through the trees..."

"Move to intercept this creature, Captain. Kill or capture, I don't care. But leave enough to guard my tent"

"Of course, my Lady, but, one more thing..." the guard began.

"Go, and quickly. I trust that you will see to this, personally, Captain" the Queen cut him off. Wolf had a sinking feeling as he watched the man turn to go. She had just likely sent him to his death. Her back was straight now. No sign of her earlier tears. It was a formidable display of strength, albeit misguided, and Wolf found himself admiring her mettle. She probably would have made a good match for Wendell, he realised. Outside, he heard the Captain barking orders, heard them forming a loose knit line as they marched off up the beach. Their boots scuffed the gravel.

"Release me, and I will fight for you" he said, using all the persuasiveness at his command. Sometimes, if a human was as far away in thought as this one was, a soft command spoken with just the right tone could yield helpful results. He saw her hand lift in his direction for a moment before her head caught up with her actions. Wolf sighed. She was no simpleton, this queen. But before she could respond, a scream tore through the still night air. A human, a man's scream. Men did not often scream like this one did. It was cut off abruptly. Another soon joined it, then another. The sound of running feet came towards them, so that even the queen was aware of it. Men shouted commands.

"Fall back, fall back! Leave them, fools! Fall back to the Queen! Get them together". There was an instant panic as the retreating guards burst through the tents beside their's, hustling the weeping court ladies and noblemen together.

"Untie me, woman!" Wolf almost bellowed at the Queen. She shook her head, hand over her mouth, but Wolf doubted that she had even heard him. A scent came to him, wafting across the open space. His heart practically leapt out of his chest. Virginia. Turning his head as far as it would go, he saw her standing in the entrance. She wore a long blue gown, her hair loose about her shoulders, a slender circlet of silver about her brow. She looked so radiant, so alive with power that he barely recognized her. Then she glanced aside at him, a subtle wink, and he knew it was her. But he was beyond words, and so was the Red Queen, it seemed. Virginia crossed the few steps between them and Wolf felt the ropes break free. He wanted nothing more than just to scoop her up and run, but she held up a hand to stop him.

"No, wait, Wolf. Elias comes. I have to go to him. Stay here, protect this Queen" she said. Her voice exuded control. Wolf desperately wanted to both obey her and defy her at the same time. But without even waiting for his answer, she had turned and gone, the tent flaps billowing in her wake. Wolf felt dazed. Had she been here at all? He looked to the Queen. As one, they turned towards the opening, pulling aside the drapery to peer out into the night. Wolf almost wished he hadn't looked.

Virginia stood there. She was several yards away, her back to him and the trembling gaggle of soldiers. Even in his fear, Wolf saw that at least half their numbers were missing. A sudden bugle blast tore through the night. Wolf started in confusion. He knew that bugle call, had heard it many times. That was King Wendell's call. What in the fairying forest was Wendell doing here? A quick clatter of hooves announced the House of White joining the party. Wendell, accompanied by several soldiers carrying torches, topped the rise. They had their bows drawn in readiness, and Wolf saw the silver tips glowing in the torchlight. The Red soldiers called out to them in recognition and welcome. The White guards cast about in the dark, seeking their target. A great wailing howl broke out, and the hair on Wolf's neck rose in fear.

The werewolf was every bit as terrifying as he imagined it. He had only seen the paw prints of the thing that night and had therefore been able to guestimate the size of the monster, but in reality in was far worse to look upon. It towered over Virginia. It bayed and showed it's enormous rack of teeth at her. It lunged and snapped right at her face, but still she stood there unmoved. Wolf was silenced by the horror of the scene. Surely he was about to witness her death. The werewolf sidled to one side, but Virginia held out her hand, stopping it from going past her. The creaking strain of bows held taut hummed in the air. Wolf wanted to shout out. No, don't shoot now, you'll hit Virginia as well! And, he realised belatedly, probably the cub as well. The tiny form of Alice clung to the back of the monster. Wolf almost howled at her to jump down, but stopped himself just in time. Dangerous though it looked, the cub had obviously chosen the best possible spot. Elias could not reach her, nor shake off her determined grip. The werewolf scuttled sideways again, and once more Virginia held out her hand to stop it.

Wolf was stunned as the monster backed up a pace. Why hadn't it attacked and killed her? What was it waiting for? Why could Virginia stand there like that and know that she was safe from it? Or was she only guessing that? Was she attempting some heroic act of sacrifice to save the others? Well, Wolf knew he wouldn't be able to allow that. He took a half step forward before he felt the queen's hand on his arm.

"No" she whispered, "look!". Wolf turned to face her, with a wordless protest, when he saw, slinking from the shadows, a long silver gleam. The knife swung down to lodge in the back of Queen Scarlett. She sagged forward into Wolf's arms, preventing him from blocking the retreat of Connor. Within seconds, he was melted into the shadows. Scarlett coughed, and a great gobbet of blood came up out of her mouth, staining her lips crimson. Her guards, their attention on the scene between Virginia and the monster, didn't even realise what had happened. Protect this Queen. That was what Virginia had charged him to do. Torn between the woman he loved and the woman he should hate. Wolf lifted Scarlett easily and bore her away towards the line of mounted horsemen that formed King Wendell's guard.

"Wendell!" he hissed aloud as he drew near. The line parted and the King himself rode his stallion forward. He opened his mouth to speak, a dozen questions on his face, but Wolf cut him off. "No, wait, first things first. This is Queen Scarlett. She's been stabbed in the back. Bring your medic here!"

"He's at the bottom of the slope, Wolf, but I'll get him immediately!" said Wendell, sliding off his horse to come and take the limp form of the queen from Wolf's arms. One of his men rode off down the hill as Wolf handed her over. He didn't like the look of her all that much. Other White soldiers came forward, exclaiming softly at how the Red soldiers could allow this to happen to their monarch.

"Don't blame them overmuch. They'll do that themselves when they find out. She was struck from behind, by a coward who has fled"

"Should we seek him?" the guard asked. Wolf shook his head, impatient now to get back to Virginia and her dangerous standoff.

"No, leave him for now. I'll deal with him personally, later" he muttered. He spared a glance for Wendell. The King was kneeling in the dirt, his lap providing a cradle for Scarlett's head. But half his attention was on Virginia, Wolf saw. The guard spoke his questions.

"Is that the Lady Virginia? And is that the very same monster that roamed the Disenchanted Forest a moon ago? How is she controlling it?"

"Yes, and yes, and I haven't a clue" Wolf answered for both of them. He looked back to Virginia, seeing that she was walking forwards, slowly now, arms outstretched, and the werewolf was backing up from her. Steadily, she drove it backwards down the beach. It gave ground, unwillingly, growling and snarling all the way, until she had it right at the edge of the water. There was a hiss of steam from the surface of the Lake as the monster's rear paw stepped into it. The werewolf howled as if in pain, but Virginia was resolute, driving it back into the water. Soon, all four paws were submerged, and Virginia also stepped into the Lake. When she was belly deep, the waters began to bubble and churn as if they were boiling. Random flashes of light shot through from the depths. A great fish jumped with a splash just as a blinding white light enveloped Virginia and the werewolf. His eyes dazzled, Wolf strove to see what had happened. He was halfway down to the water before he saw that the monster was gone. In it's place, Elias the man.

Elias shocked face contorted into a variety of expressions. He shrieked and pulled at his hair. He grabbed at Virginia, speaking at her in low, but near hysterical tones. Wolf couldn't make out the words, but he saw Virginia shake her head, slowly. She lifted his hands from her shoulders and turned as if to go back to shore. But Elias' face, at first blank, seemed to melt with rage. Wolf opened his mouth to shout a warning, but it was too late. Elias leaped forward, bearing down on Virginia, tearing at her long gown, dragging her down into the dark water.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Virginia struggled as the water closed over her head. Elias was strong, maddened and his large hands gripped her around the throat as he bore her under. Virginia's mind flashed back to the moments when she had first emerged from the Lake. The strange guards, wearing what she had guessed to be the livery of the Second Kingdom, had gaped at her openly. Further back, along the rocky shoreline were pitched tents and pavillions of varying shapes and sizes. Virginia scanned the immediate area. No sign of Wolf, or Elias or even Will. And she didn't have her enhanced senses to find them either, she thought with a pang of worry. One of the men came forward to grip her forearm, probably as much to test if she were a real person as to help her to shore. His eyes were wide, puzzled, but whatever he or the other's truly thought about her sudden appearance from the depths of the Lake, Virginia didn't know.

As she stood on the lip of the water Virginia became aware that she was still dressed in the garb that Coventina had wished on her. A totally impractical get up of long gown and cape, silk slippers even. The clothes seemed to magically dry before her eyes, which was a comforting thing at least. It was an unexpected bonus that the men who stood staring at her suddenly seemed to realise that they were ogling a 'lady'. They went from suspicious to deferential in a matter of seconds. It gave Virginia an insight into how easily a woman might conquer a whole Kingdom, if only she dressed well for the occasion. Men never suspected a well turned out lady. Virginia straightened her back a fraction as she addressed the man closest to her.

"Good Sir, I am seeking three friends, a man and two..." she began, then stopped herself just in time. If she was in the 2nd Kingdom, then the chivalrous attention of these soldiers could turn nasty in an instant. But the guard heard her stumble and his eyes narrowed.

"You mean, _wolves_, Lady?" he said in a monotone voice that told Virginia it was not a question, really. The other soldiers, hearing their fellow's words, turned their eyes on her in a way that made Virginia cringe inwardly. Fancy gowns meant nothing to them now. Trying desperately to think of a way out of her predicament, Virginia looked back over her shoulder at the dark waters of the Lake.

"You cannot escape, wolf lover" the guard ground out. He spat at her feet and reached again for her arm, but just as he did so, the first howl of the werewolf rang out. His hand paused inches from her as the other men muttered in confusion. For a moment, Virginia could only feel immense sorrow. She was too late. A glimpse of the shadowed moon confirmed it, and now, mayhem would begin all over again. Elias howled again, closer this time. More soldiers appeared from all directions. They turned to the man near Virginia; evidently he was their Captain. He barked orders to several of them.

"You, and you fellows. Go find out what makes that noise! And be quick about it!". The men grabbed up their swords and ran down the beach towards a stand of withered trees. Virginia reached to tug at the man's sleeve.

"No, no, call them back, please!" she whispered as loud as she dared. The man scowled at her fiercely.

"And why would you want me to do that? Do you think my men can't handle any wolf that dares to approach our Queen?"

"It's no 'wolf' fool! Listen for yourself. Tell me you have never heard a wolf make that kind of noise!" Virginia said, louder now. Some of the other guards were listening to her, she saw. If only she could make them see the danger that they were now in. And their Queen as well. Scarlett herself was here? How, and more importantly, why? The werewolf howled again, and a man screamed in agony. Then another. The Captain's face betrayed nothing of the unease his other men showed as yet another shriek was cut off abruptly. he strode off up the shore towards a grand pavillion. Virginia watched as he went inside, knowing that he likely reported to the Queen. Within seconds he was back out, grim faced as he gathered his men around him. Virginia watched with horror as he made obvious plans to go after the werewolf. As they filed past her, the Captain paused to scrutinise her, clearly unhappy about leaving her unattended.

"Go, Captain. I'll keep an eye on her" said a new voice. An all too familiar accent, that one, Virginia thought, as the former Irish priest stepped out from behind a tree. The Captain nodded his assent briskly, hurrying to catch up to his fellows. Connor came forward. Virginia felt a moment's confusion. How had Connor gotten here, of all people? The last she had seen of him was his maddened presence in the swamp...Hera. Of course. Hera had sent him on a little side trip. Hera, who knew exactly where Virginia and Wolf would be, had thought to spring a little trap. Probably she had had Connor somehow convince Queen Scarlett and her many guards to accompany him, knowing full well the reception they would be able to plan for them. Virginia cursed quietly. Plans within plans within plans. She started up the slope of the beach towards the Queen's pavillion, ignoring completely the priest as he made vain attempts to halt her.

"Get your hands off me, little cur!" she hissed as he grabbed at her. She managed to get a good shove in of her own, throwing him off balance so that he skinned his knees on a sharp rock. He yowled and whined as she aimed a kick at him in her ridiculous slippers. "Back away, Connor, or I'll feed you to Elias!" she added threateningly. He slunk away as she approached the pavillion. All the guards were off facing the monster, it seemed, for none stood at attention here. Further back, small sounds of fear came from the other tents. Virginia pushed aside the drapes. Her first view took in only Wolf. He was tied firmly to the centre pole, but seemed uninjured. He gaped at her as if she was a ghost. The Queen Scarlett, her face red from either anger or tears, stood mute. Virginia loosed Wolf from his bonds, knowing as soon as she said it that she did in fact have to face Elias. And he wouldn't harm her, not this time. But she couldn't waste time explaining it to Wolf. Instead, she charged him with guarding the Queen, knowing that to do otherwise would mean he would follow her. He almost baulked at the command, she knew, but she wrung the obediance from him before leaving the tent.

Outside, it was chaos as the retreating soldiers ran to and fro in their panicky attempts to avoid the snapping jaws of Elias. The werewolf seemed bigger than she remembered. He was only yards away. Several arrow bolts stood out from his hide and he was enraged, far more so than when Virginia had first seen him. The soldiers parted unknowingly as she walked calmly through their loose knit line of defence. Littered all over the beach in the werewolf's wake were torn and mangled bodies, a few still twitching with life. But Virginia's entire attention was focussed on the monster. As was his on her the moment he saw her. Trusting her instincts, Virginia drew nearer. He dwarfed her as he had before. He howled and snapped and howled again, but he did not attack, just as Virginia had guessed he wouldn't. Unknowing as he was, he knew that within her dwelt that tiny spark of life that held his own blood. The foetus was of Wolf and Virginia, certainly, but Virginia's werewolf tainted blood had nourished it. Coventina and Lucine had not worked the change on the infant, knowing that to do so would bring about it's death. And so Virginia, guessing correctly that the werewolf would sense it's own kind, used the baby as a shield, even as her own heart broke to do so.

Bit by bit, she had herded him down to the water. Only if he is willing, the Goddess had said. Now, Elias was unable to say one way or the other. Virginia decided for him. When they were both waist deep in the water, Virginia saw for the first time that a tiny form clung to the werewolf's back. As small as a child, it looked, but before she could think anymore on it, a great ripple of Power flooded the Lake, almost knocking her off her feet. She closed her eyes to the light, and when she looked again, the monster was gone. Elias, naked and blinking, stood. A distant splashing sound revealed itself to be the goblin Clayface. He dove under and surfaced with a child in his arms. The child coughed and spluttered as he bore her to shore. Elias was staring at his hands in horror.

"Oh, Virginia, how could you do this? Where...where has my wolf gone? Why are you not changed?" he began. A great racking sob came from him. Virginia felt for him. She had had a hard enough time deciding to give up the power, and Elias had lived half his life that way.

"Elias, listen, isn't this what you wanted?"

"Oh no Virginia. It was _you_ I wanted. So like my poor Bella. What has happened? We were...we were meant to be together, Virginia!" he gasped between his tears. He closed the distance between them, holding her shoulders. "Please, put me back together, come away with me...we can...rule this world...". Virginia shook her head in reply. It was all true, of course, if one really did want to rule the 9 Kingdoms, and Virginia did not. All she wanted was her Wolf and her children. Wolf was approaching them and she turned away from Elias. But she had not taken one step when Elias made his decision.

The sudden weight on her back shocked her so that she drew in a mouthful of water even as she went under. Elias, no! What was he thinking? Then she knew. He meant to kill her, drown them both. Such a stupid and cowardly thing to do, but it gave her a great burst of anger. She struggled to free herself, but his grip was determined and strong. He was pulling her backwards, into the deeper waters. Stars swam before her eyes. Coventina! Help me! She screamed aloud in her mind. For a second she thought that the water Goddess had indeed come forth. A long silver spike, pushed along by a larger form, streaked through the darkness. As her vision failed, Virginia saw the shape materialise into Wolf, a long arrow shaft held securely in his hand. She felt rather than saw the impact of the arrow as it struck Elias. His hands jerked reflexively and she was free. The surface looked too far away to reach. Beside her, Wolf also struggled with his breath completely spent. He pushed her upwards, weakly.

Virginia opened her eyes to stars overhead. Stones under her back. Wendell, hovering over her. A huge amount of coughing and wolfish curses made her smile from ear to ear.

"Stop pounding me on the back, will you Tone?" Wolf muttered. "Help Virginia" he added, coughing mightily again.

"Virginia's fine, Wolf" said Wendell. Virginia grinned at him, then frowned in thought.

"Wendell! How did you get here? And where is here anyway?"

"Well, we are in the far west of the 2nd Kingdom. As to how and why I am here, well, I could ask you the same things! But those stories can wait for now. You've been nearly drowned!"

"How, how did we get out, Wendell?"

"You don't remember? Well, after you had all disappeared under the water for a while, we began to get worried. Tony was all for jumping in after you, but before he could even set foot in the Lake, a great wave came from nowhere and lifted you and Wolf right up to dump you here. Nearly washed us all away, it did. Then you were both gasping like stranded fish, so we knew you'd be alright"

"Only us, Wendell? Not Elias?"

"No, he did not surface...do you want me to have my men scour the water for him?" Wendell asked, his face clouded over.

"No, leave the Lake in peace. He is dead, Wendell" Virginia said slowly, surprised by the sadness she felt. Next to her, Wolf had managed to sit up. He grinned at her sheepishly.

"Hey there, tasty girl"

"Hi, gorgeous". Tony sighed in apparent defeat. Virginia laughed at his expression. "Oh, hi Dad". There was a muffled growl from one of the nearby tents. Willem, clutching at his head, peered through the throng of Wendell's soldiers. Virginia thought he looked ill, and he had a nasty looking wound on one of his hands. Wolf gazed at his brother, then snorted good naturedly at him.

"Typical. Sleeps through the whole affair..." he began. Will's reply was cut off by the sudden small weight of the same child that Virginia had seen on the back of Elias. Will tossed her high and kissed her brow. Virginia shook her head. Too many things had gone on in her absence, it seemed. But Will, casually carrying the child on his hip, only then appeared to take in the surrounds. The Red soldiers, hanging back now and crowded around their Queen's pavillion. The White soldiers standing about and the King of the 4th Kingdom kneeling in the mud on the edge of the Lake. He huffed, making him look all the more like his brother.

"Hmm. Have I missed something then?"


	26. Chapter 26

Circle of Sisters

26. _Rapunzel's Gift_

Tired as she was, Virginia knew with certainty that there was still more to do this night. Her long gown and cloak had magically dried themselves off, just as they had done before. She still felt light headed, but whether that was from the excitement of being with Wolf again or whether she was still a bit oxygen depleted from her near drowning, Virginia didn't know. She made to scramble to her feet, Wendell putting out an arm to assist her. The young King smiled at her awkwardly.

"Virginia, are you _well_?" he asked. Virginia was sure that he knew everything. In fact, one brief glance at her father confirmed it. Slow as he was sometimes, Tony had obviously put the pieces of the puzzle into place.

"Yes, Wendell, Dad. I am well. I have been cured" she responded carefully, making sure that they understood. The relief on both their faces was immediately apparent. Wendell kissed her hand, bringing an almost silent growl from Wolf who sat still on the ground watching them. Virginia saw belatedly that he had also been hanging on that reply. She wanted to appologise to him for not telling him straight away. His green eyes bored into her with such love and affection that she felt, and not for the first time, ashamed to have dragged him into danger. Wouldn't have it any other way, his eyes seemed to say silently. Tony coughed politely. Virginia ran to hug him.

"Dad, I'm really sorry I had to lie..."

"Hush, it's alright. I think I understand. But, just a few hints wouldn't hurt. In the future, I mean..." Tony replied, Virginia feeling his held back tears. Will came forward to help Wolf up, and Virginia got her first good look at the little girl in his arms. As a guess, she could only be one person, but how she came to be here was still a mystery to Virginia.

"You must be Alice" Virginia said to the cub. Will hefted her proudly, straightening her mussed hair. She was still wet through, but didn't shiver or shake as she returned Virginia's smile.

"You're magical" said Alice with a child's typical direct appraisal of the situation.

"Oh no, not really, Alice. I had some help from some powerful friends, that's all"

"No. You're magical" repeated the cub. Virginia found her solemn stare unsettling for a moment. Will broke in, chiding his bedraggled daughter gently.

"Come now, Alice. Let's not bother Auntie Virginia right now. She's been through a big adventure and needs to rest up a bit" he said, carrying her towards a nearby fire. One of the White guards came forward with a blanket to wrap around her. Virginia smiled to hear the childs retort.

"I've had an adventure too, Papa! I was riding on the back of the monster! Didn't you see?". Her voice was muffled as her father gave her a thorough drying off with the blanket. Virginia called out to her brother.

"Will, if you are as sick as I think you are, go bathe in the waters of the Lake. Right now there are probably some residual effects of what Coventina did to it...to Elias...that will help you". Will looked at her meaningfully as he heard her hidden pain and guilt, but he did as she instructed, leaving his daughter by the fireside. Virginia sighed as she turned back to her other 'brother'.

"Wendell, I need to speak with Queen Scarlett. Could you possibly arrange it?". Wendell's face blanched before he answered.

"She got hurt, Virginia. Sometime during the, I mean, when you and the..monster, someone stabbed her in the back. It's deep and nasty. My medic is working on her even now, but I don't know how it will go". Virginia was shocked at his words. Scarlett hurt? How had that happened? Even though she had no intention of berating him, Wolf very nearly cowered before her expression.

"Ooh, I'm sorry love. I know you said to look after her and all...but that sneak Connor crept up on us whilst we were watching you and Elias. I should have smelt him coming, but I was so intent on you"

"Why would he knife Scarlett instead of you?"

"Well, she was behind me. And earlier, she dismissed him and his crazy ideas. Maybe he just wanted to strike any blow, I don't know. He's run off, but I'll find him". Wolf continued, walking along at her side as she made her way to the Queen's tent. Several of the palace courtiers, noble ladies and servants alike, clustered around the entrance. Some were weeping openly, and Virginia's heart sank. The tent flaps were closed tight, and worried muttering came from within. Two shocked looking guards stood before the opening and they lowered their lances across to bar Virginia's way as she approached. Virginia was reminded then that they were still in 'foreign territory'. She was thinking hard about what to say to get the men to admit her, when she heard the step of boots behind her.

"Good man. I am King Wendell of the 4th Kingdom. The Lady Virginia and Lord Wolf and I would like to see how your Queen fares this night". Virginia tried to stifle her smile at the confused looks on the guards' faces. By rights, Wendell had no power to command anything or anyone of the 2nd Kingdom, and the guards must surely know that, but Virginia could tell they were wavering. They'd had a hard night. More than half of them had fallen to the werewolf and their steel tipped arrows had done nothing but enrage him further. Virginia could not see their Captain, the one who had first accosted her, so she guessed these men were leaderless in the face of their Queen's inability to tell them what to do. They raised their lances half way, but it was enough for Virginia to push through into the tent. Wolf and Wendell followed on her heels.

Scarlett lay on her side on her bed. One of her maids sat, holding her hand and weeping. On the other side, the two medics probed and muttered. The medic of Castle White Virginia had met before when he had come to check on her after Caelum's birth. He stood at the entrance of Wendell, but his face was pinched with worry and he wrung his hands. Not a reassuring sight, but when Virginia went to see what the damage was like, she understood. It was a small wound on the outside, as knife wounds usually are, but air whispered out of the gash. Virginia suspected a lung had been punctured, or worse. Blood stained spittle coated the Queen's pillow. Wolf cursed quietly in wolfish, and Virginia was surpised by the regret on his face. By all accounts, there should be little love between any wolf and the Queen Riding Hood. Maybe he was just upset that his 'charge' had gotten hurt on his watch.

"She's taken great hurt, My Lord. I doubt whether she will live more than a few hours..." the medic was addressing Wendell. Virginia saw that the King had an expression on his face that she had never seen before. He sorrowed, certainly, but overriding all that was the sense of profound guilt she saw in his eyes. As she watched with increasing concern, a small tear escaped the corner of his eye and trickled down his cheek. Virginia was astounded at the tear. She had always assumed that Wendell and Scarlett barely knew each other, but now the ever dignified King wept for the dying Queen. Wept. Tears. Tears tears tears. Tears!

"Of course!" Virginia shouted. Wendell looked aghast at her. Even Wolf looked mildly insulted that she should be shouting and capering about at a time like this. But Virginia didn't care. She rummaged through the voluminous pockets on the inside of her robe. Finally her hands closed about something soft and damp. With a flourish she drew it fourth. The medic, who had evidently has enough of her, scowled fiercely.

"Miss Virginia, please! What's all this about? Why are you waving a hankerchief around?"

"Ah ha, but not just any hankerchief!" Virginia said, hurrying to the side of Scarlett. She all but pushed aside the medics as she pressed the damp cloth to the wound, silently praying that her sudden insight would bear fruit. For a long moment, it seemed that nothing had changed. Then, as another long minute passed by, there was a change in Scarlett's laboured breathing. It grew deeper, smoother. Colour returned, shade by shade, to her white cheeks. Cautiously, Virginia withdrew the cloth. It was blood stained now, and seemed to shrivel as she watched it. But the knife wound in Scarlett's back was closed with barely a scar to show where it had been. The two medics gasped, and Wolf, who had come around to see what she had been doing, also raised his eyebrows in surprise. For a moment he looked at her as if she had thrown off her old identity and gained a new one. Maybe in his eyes, she had. But Virginia proffered the rapidly shrinking hankerchief to him, keen to disabuse him of any fancy notions.

"No, silly, look. This hankerchief was given to me by the Lady Rapunzel herself. She just put it in my hands as I was leaving. I'd almost forgotten about it"

"The Lady Rapunzel?" Wolf asked, blinking rapidly. He took the cloth and sniffed at it. Then a broad smile creased his face just as Wendell gasped out loud.

"Rapunzel! Rapunzel's tears. They had a great healing power. She first discovered it when they fell upon her thorn blinded Prince and restored his sight. When she was alive, people would travel from all over to beg tears from the Lady...and she gave them to you, Virginia? The real Lady Rapunzel?"

"Yes, that very Lady. Although she is not strictly alive anymore, of course. But I met her. Snow White was there too. And Gretel the Great and Ruby Riding Hood". The expressions on the faces in the tent were suitably impressed, Virginia saw, but it was quiet raspy sounding voice that got her attention.

"Ruby? You met my...grandmother?". Scarlett was sitting up a little, looking at her. Her maid hastened to prop pillows under the still clearly weakened Queen as Virginia went to sit on the edge of her bed.

"I did indeed. How are you feeling, Queen Scarlett?"

"I..ah, feel a bit bruised, I think. I had the strangest dream...". The Queen replied, her face going blank. Her eyelids fluttered as she sank back down onto the pillows, asleep within seconds. Virginia dared the ire of the maid by reaching out to smooth back the errant strands of blonde hair that had escaped their confinement. On sudden impulse, she reached back into her pocket to draw out that other small memento given her in those last hurried seconds. It was a tiny wildflower, as bright red as the Queen's cloak. Ruby had slipped it into Virginia's robe, and it had survived the Lake to bloom as fresh as if it had just been picked. Virginia put the flower into Scarlett's half open palm.

"This is for you, from your grandmother". The serving maid and the medic from the 2nd Kingdom stared avidly at the tiny bloom. Virginia didn't know what exactly it's significance was, but she had some clues. There would be time to find out later, on the way home.

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The long night was over. Wolf stood at the entrance to one of King Wendell's travelling tents. Behind him, rolled up tightly in a bedroll, slept Virginia. Her brown locks curled against her cheek. Wolf felt regret, but he had to leave her for a while. He tried not to look back as he slipped out of camp. Suddenly he was unsure if she would be there when he got back. He resolved firmly to never leave her side again, no matter how much she protested about it. Feeling slightly better, he made for the darkened treeline, knowing that it would be some hours before the sun crested the huge mountains to shine onto the land here. The Lake was as still as ever. Wolf thought it looked pleased with itself, like a hidden smile graced the shallows. He edged down to the waterline, crouching on his heels. He smiled cautiously at his reflection as he drew back his sleeve. Letting his long canines come down, he used them to make two small puncture wounds in his wrist. The fat red drops fell into the Lake.

"My thanks to you, Goddess of the Waters" he said in wolfish. He sat awhile on the bank, watching his blood dissapate into the Lake. Wolf didn't begin to presume to know the ways of Coventina, but he hoped She would understand his offering, and gratefulness that She had returned Virginia to him, whole and herself again. It could have so easily gone the other way. Many souls had disappeared after rubbing shoulders with deities, sometimes never to be seen again, or worse, reappearing decades later. Wolf still had no insight into what Coventina wanted Virginia for in first place. He hoped Virginia would tell him one day. Still musing, he stood, casting about for a scent he wanted very much to find. Without much difficulty, he found it.

The man hadn't wandered that far after all, which pleased Wolf. Sooner to get this done and sooner back to Virginia. Connor squealed in surprise as Wolf grabbed his tattered shirt with one hand and the back of his neck with the other. One swift jerk, and it was done. Wolf stayed about for a few more minutes, making sure the heart stilled permanently. He left the body where it lay. Scavengers would deal with it.

On the way back to camp, he passed the great mound of earth that the Red soldiers had made to cover their fallen comrades. Two of these, also, had felt Wolf's silent touch before they died. Mortally injured, and yet Wolf hadn't really needed Virginia's silent plea to know that they could not be left to regenerate. The bloodline of the werewolf was ended in the 9 Kingdoms. Wolf had later spent quite a bit of time prowling about the Red soldiers campfires, making sure that none of them carried even the slighest scratch. Fortunately, none had. He mentally added the two men to his list of humans that had died at his hands, knowing one day he would have to atone for them, no matter any righteous cause he might have had at the time. Sometimes it was all too easy to forget that he had human blood in him as well. Wolf's rarely held each other accountable whenever they killed within their ranks, but humans did. Even Wendell and his men, who tacitly approved of wolfen people now, would be compelled to act if they found out what he had done last night. The Red soldiers wouldn't even wait for an accusation.

The two camps were close to each other, as they had to be on that narrow beach. The Riding Hood camp was still all abed, their guards and noble folk still exhausted after their long journey and it's bloody conclusion. Wendell and his men had travelled further, and faster, but they had not spent valuable energy and time in toting along useless courtiers and maids. Wendell's chief guard, who Wolf had met before, was named Hal. He smiled a little at Wolf as he came out of the shadows. Wolf smiled easily back, putting on a non-aggressive posture, knowing that there was still some fear in the White soldiers that had not been fully driven back by Wendell's brave proclaimation nearly two years ago. The sun crested the mountain and caused the waters of Coven Lake to sparkle. Hal stared suspiciously at the nearby shore.

"Think it's truly dead and gone, Wolf?" he asked, his voice betraying his unease. Wolf came to stand beside him.

"Yes, no doubt. I stuck him good, right through the neck. He sank like a stone. We won't be bothered by his like again" Wolf replied, thinking about that last horrible vision of Elias. The limp white man's body, twisting and twirling as the heavy current dragged him away, the long unadorned shaft of the silver tipped arrow protruding from the side of his neck. Wolf had lifted that arrow from the display on one of Wendell's palace walls. It was one of several that hung in a quiver next to the infamous Huntsman crossbow. Tucked down into his boot, he had carried it all the way from Castle White. And yet he had only taken the one arrow, and no crossbow to fire it. Had he expected, even then, to have used it on Virginia, and thus having to get close enough to do so that it would ensure his own death at her claws? He shivered, knowing the truth of it. The tent flap stirred as Virginia pushed it aside, yawning. Wolf grinned widely at her, but inwardly he resolved never to tell her what he had planned. Secrets, too many darn secrets! He drew her away up the beach a little, Hal politely averting his eyes as he kissed her many times.

"Virginia, there's someting I should tell you..."

"I know, Wolf. About the baby, I mean" Virginia interupted him. For a moment, she put a terribly angry expression on her face and Wolf winced. Well, he _had_ promised not to spring another cub on her without her approval. But she hugged herself against him, and he knew with relief that she was not truly angry. "It's alright Wolf. It wasn't your fault. I suppose my cycles must have gotten mixed up. It happens sometimes, especially if a woman has been sick. Nearly dying would probably count too" she added thoughtfully.

"I'm glad you're not angry. I did sense your fertility, but I think that night in the barn must have done it. And it was a full moon, and well, you know what I'm like then...are you happy then? You look worried, Virginia". It was true, he could see it plainly. Maybe she thought that the adventures and dunking in the Lake had ended it. He opened his mouth to assure her otherwise, but she spoke ahead of him.

"I am worried. I know it's still there. Coventina said as much. But, she and Lucine did not remove the taint from the baby. To do so would have killed it. So, I don't know what this baby will grow up to be like, Wolf. It's a girl, by the way". Wolf felt his insides clench with both horror and joy at the same time. A daughter! How wonderful! But what kind of cub would she be? Having spent her first few days of life being bathed by Virginia's werewolf tainted blood, what sort of child would grow up under their roof? Maybe, there would be no discernable difference. Maybe only his daughter would know about it. Wolf held Virginia away from him a little, staring into her eyes. She was not upset, to the point of hysteria, he saw, but she looked troubled all the same. And, he noted carefully, intrigued and curious as well. He decided to follow her lead. There was no point worrying about it now, at any rate.

"There's no point worrying about it now, anyway" said Virginia, like she was reading his thoughts.

"You're right, we might have a perfectly normal little cub in a few months time, my love".

Virginia stared at him as if she didn't know what he was referring to. Then she stared off in the distance, north easterly over the high peaks just being touched by the sun. Then she looked back to him, and once more Wolf shivered at the power that seemed to flow out of her gaze. It was, unnerving. No longer a werewolf, but still changed from her experience. Still with secret shadows in her eyes. What on earth had gone on down there? he thought. Why would the Great Women of History, no less, deem it important enough to meet with Virginia? The very male part of him rebelled slightly at the thought of all the secret women's business that had gone on recently. Virginia tugged at his sleeve, getting his attention. "Hello there?". She winked, and the sudden air of importance about her was gone as if he'd just imagined it.

"Sorry, lamb chop. I was miles away. Now, as to the cub, I'm sure..."

"Yes, I'm sure you're right. But, the thing is, whoever and whatever she will grow to be, my attention cannot be on her right now. A far greater danger poses to destroy her. And you, me, and all that we know and love". Wolf felt lightheaded.

"Tell me" he managed to say. Virginia gazed once more to the snow covered north. A pensive look crossed her face.

"The Ice Queen. She has gained the Power she has long sought. Even now, she spreads her killing snow across the lands. She's coming for us, Wolf and no one will be safe from her deathly touch"

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Every muscle in her back ached, but Scarlett willed herself awake. She stared drowsily at the gently billowing material that made up her royal pavillion. It was daylight outside, but what day? Hazy memories surfaced randomly. That great monstrous creature, like a wolf but three times the size, that she remembered vividly. The sound of a man's scream and the dull thunk as his torn body was thrown to the ground. The woman, whose face was vaguely familiar, standing right in the monster's path, her arms outstretched to prevent it's further rampage. A sudden pain from nowhere, the look of confusion and anger from the half-wolf who had been standing in front of her. Had the wolf been guarding her, of all things? Then, blackness, fear, a horrible choking sensation. Taste of blood in her mouth. Men, shouting. Whispering. King Wendell, hovering close by. That woman again, touching her. A void, closing. A woman weeping somewhere. An infant, newborn and helpless, left exposed on a freezing windowsill...

That last puzzling vision had woken her fully at last. She felt chilled, but knew it to be fever. One of her maids, in the process of sponging her brow, squealed in surprise to find her mistress awake and looking at her.

"It's alright, Sal" Scarlett spoke to the girl. "Bring me some water, please" she added, feeling her throat parched. She managed to sit up as the maid poured clean water into a goblet. Scarlett brought it to her lips, then froze as her eyes picked out an unusual addition to her bedding. "What...what's this, doing here?" she asked the maid, although she did in truth know half her answer already. It was a tiny flower, popularly called Grandmother's Kiss in the 2nd Kingdom. It grew only in one place in that land, and bloomed on one day of the year. How had it come here, all the way from the tomb-like monument of Grandmother's Cottage, and still as fresh as if it had flowered on that one day, months ago? The seeds from which these plants sprung were said to have fallen from the very posy that Ruby had gathered on that fateful trip to see her Granny, all those years ago.

"The Great Lady of the Lake put that in your hands as you slept, my Queen" stammered Sal the maid.

"The Lady of the Lake?"

"Yes, ma'am. She who healed you. You don't remember? I don't know if Lady of the Lake is her proper name, my Lady, but that is what all the camp is calling her this morning. I did hear the King Wendell call her 'Lady Virginia' though" Sal continued, clearly overcoming her surprise to follow her serving folk's tradition of gossiping. Scarlett held up a hand to forestall the maid before she launched into yet another round of chatter. Scarlett's head hurt with all the strange information. One part of her dreaming, at least, must have been true. Wendell was here. In fact, a quiet word at the entrance of her tent caught her ear. A soldier of the House of White, asking after her well being. No, not a soldier, but Wendell himself! Her guard poked his head in the entrance, careful not to look directly at her, since she was in her nightclothes after all.

"My Lady Queen? King Wendell of the 4th Kingdom enquires after you this morning" he announced. Scarlett felt flustered. What should she do? Sal came forward with a long regal wrap to throw about her shoulders and began fussing with her hair, pinning it up.

"A moment, please" Scarlett said quickly, making a decision. Well, he had likely seen much of her last night anyway, and what the eyes had seen could never be erased. The maid worked quickly, making her presentable at least, despite the fact that she was still too weak to rise and therefore had to stay in bed. Wendell, accompanied by a large, balding man, came into her tent when Sal announced that her mistress was ready.

"Queen Scarlett" Wendell began, bowing low. "Are you well this morning?"

"I regret that I am still abed, King Wendell. But I appear to be mending well. A little fever only, and some bruising remain" Scarlett answered carefully. Hopefully Wendell would assume her flaming cheeks to be a result of fever, not passion. But by the Gods he was a gorgeous man, dressed quite simply in his riding clothes but still with that regal poise. His own cheeks were flushed, she noted. Maybe he was unused to waiting on ladies still in their nightclothes.

"I am very glad to see you mending. I was...we were, worried about you, Queen Scarlett"

"I confess that I have strange memories of that night, King Wendell. I am not entirely sure of what happened. Someone attacked me...I think"

"He did indeed. But don't worry, he won't be bothering you again" broke in a new voice. The half-wolf had poked his head in through the tent flaps. Scarlett was becoming more mortified by the second. Bad enough to have Wendell standing about in here, but for the wolf to see her as well. She was on the verge on shouting out to the errant guard when the woman from last night entered in on the wolf's heels. They were holding hands, easily, and Wendell turned to beam at them, kissing the woman on the cheek.

"Hello Virginia" he said. 'You're looking much better yourself"

"I am much better. But I still need a good week's sleep, I think!" Virginia answered, hugging the older, heavier man. Her father, of course, realised Scarlett belatedly. Then Virginia came to sit familiarly on the edge of Scarlett's bed, her hand toying with the small bloom laying there. She turned and addressed the watching people.

"Would you be so kind as to excuse us? The Queen and I need to talk". Scarlett was mute with astonishment as one by one the royal, serving and wolfen visitors filed out. Who was this woman, to command people like that? But all of a sudden, it didn't seem to matter. Scarlett reached out and grasped the other woman's delicate hand.

"Tell me everything" she said.


	27. Chapter 27

Circle of Sisters

27. _Winter's First Day_

Camp was struck early the next day, after Queen Scarlett declared herself fit to ride. Virginia had next to no baggage, as did Wolf and Willem, so they stood off to one side with Wendell and Tony as the soldiers made short work of dismantling the tents and loading up the horses. Down the beach, the House of Red similarly went about packing up, but they were considerably slower, having several noble ladies and gentlemen and many less guardsmen. Wendell had sent some of his men over to assist, but they had been politely rebuffed. Virginia saw that many of Scarlett's guards had taken personal affront at their own inability to stop the rampage of Elias. The fact that someone had made an attempt on their Queen's life was an additional insult. Mixed expressions were thrown her way on several occasions. Some of the courtiers that Scarlett had brought along gaped at her in open adulation. Virginia had heard the whispered name of "Lady of the Lake" that many of them were using when they spoke of her. She really wanted to set the record straight, but she doubted that they would accept her explainations. Just the fact that she had spoken with their esteemed Ruby was enough for them, much less the fact that she had controlled the werewolf and had been uncermoniously dumped out of the Lake on the back of a great wave. And then she had saved their Queen's life. It made Virginia acutely aware of the differences between the peoples of the 9 Kingdoms and her own world. Here they were a people raised on legends and magic. They saw storylines and portents in their everyday lives. In the 10th Kingdom, Virginia would probably be locked up in a mental institution by now.

Virginia had already bid farewell to one of their party who would not be travelling 'upland'. Clayface bowed and bobbed his lumpy green head in acknowledgement. He had been loath to appear in front of too many humans at once, and Virginia was reminded suddenly that he was in fact still an escaped prisoner from the 4th Kingdom. Clayface and Tony had spent several hours last night comparing stories and swapping beanstalk soup recipes. Virginia leaned forward to hug the little creature impulsively. His mishapen face and clammy skin were endearing to her now.

"Thank you, Clayface. Without your help, I would not have made it to the Goddess in time. I would have run riot through the forests, causing goodness knows what harm to the folk here". And it wouldn't have ended there, she added in quiet thought, remembering her vision of the bloodsoaked hall. Clayface was fidgeting, his hands in pockets as always. "Clayface, will you show me what it is you are carving?"

"Sorry, Miss. It's not finished yet"

"I had a feeling you'd say that" Virginia replied, but the smiling goblin had already turned to go. She watched as he smoothed back a small section of overgrown fronds to reveal a narrow fissure. It seemed to close behind him as he slipped through. Virginia hoped they would meet again soon, but she suspected that the hidden underground passages that defied the natural laws of time and distance would soon be sealed off from the rest of the world. She hoped they would be safe, but inwardly she knew otherwise. For a race of people so dependant on the flow of water, they would be hard hit in the months to come. Her will felt strengthened like someone had put a rod of iron down her back. One aspect of the wolf that she had not lost, it would seem. _No, Virginia. You've always had this_. Virginia glanced involuntaily at the Lake behind her, half expecting to see the form of Coventina hovering there. But then she corrected herself. In the presence of so much glorious water, the Goddess appeared exactly as she really was.

"It was worth it, just to have met you" she spoke softly at the Lake. A small ripple made it's way to shore as the Lake smiled back at her.

_And we, you. One day, we hope to number you amongst us, Virginia. We are the Circle Of Sisters..._

"I hope I don't let you down..."

Coming back to the busy camp, Virginia patted the nose of her horse Apple, who Wendell had brought along all the way from Little Lamb Village. Last night, over dinner, he and her father had recounted their travels. Tony had been matter-of-fact in his recounting of how he had come to know his daughter was a werewolf. He had laughed when Wolf had told him glibly that this meant he was truly becoming a proper member of the 9 Kingdoms if he could come to such a fantastical conclusion ahead of other more mundane reasons for her odd behaviour. It had pleased Virginia mightily to see them laugh together. It hadn't happened much lately between them. Will was sitting in a corner of the tent, with his girl-cub Alice scribbling down notes for him, in preparation for his making a story out of their adventures. He had pestered Virginia for much of the day for her recollections, Alice in tow. Virginia in turn had learned of what had occured in the gypsy camp. It didn't make her impressions of the actions of Red soldiers any softer, but looking at their dispirited, downcast faces this morning made her decide that perhaps they had paid for their incursions. They still cast Wolf hard stares though, and Will had taken care to keep his cub out of their way. Virginia had felt immediately sorrowed when she learned of Alice's mother being killed. She wondered whether she ought to tell Scarlett this; that men of her command were going about ambushing women and children. Maybe later. The young queen had enough to think about at the moment.

Scarlett came out of her pavillion then, assisted by her maid to walk the short distance to where her horse stood. Virginia was not surprised when Wendell, seeing what was happening, hurried forward in a very un-royal way to give her his arm as she mounted. In the corner of her eye, she saw Wolf frown a minute, then smile to himself at the scene. Virginia looked closely at the careful polite movements going on. When he had Scarlett safely seated, Wendell turned to call his manservant to bring his own horse. His face was flushed and his eyes sparkled. Virginia smiled to see the seed, so long hidden within Wendell, begin to stir at last. With luck, it would survive the coming winter to blossom for both of them.

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Several days after leaving the Coven Lake, Scarlett rode back into her Castle in Hooded City. She was bone tired, but exilarated in a way that banished all aches and pains to a distant corner of her mind. She barely noticed the thronging crowds that lined the street to welcome her home. Word of her injuries had obviously gone ahead of her arrival, but she was not displeased. If they truly loved her, surely they would accept whatever decisions she made, wouldn't they? Her face turned as crimson as her royal cape as she thought about her 'decision'. Last night, he had kissed her for the first time, in full view of many. A chaste kiss, a proper one, as protocol deemed it, but Scarlett was sure that none now doubted Wendell's intentions for her hand. Scarlett felt as giddy as a girl and her mount Arrow picked up on her mood, prancing and jangling his harness as they rode through the cobbled streets. Ahead, the great Castle, and within, the expected questioners, the thwarted ambitions of her relations, and, her mother.

A groom came forward to take Arrow's head as she dismounted. Scarlett did her best not to run to the nearest parapet and scan the horizon for her departed love. Wendell had bid her farewell at the gates of the city, but he had made sure he had been the last to speak to her. Virginia, with her ever watchful Wolf in tow, had ridden her own horse forward as they parted.

"Farewell Scarlett. Think much on what I have told you. Only together can the peoples of the Kingdoms withstand what will soon come. I will contact you as soon as I reach home"

"What will we be able to do, Virginia?" Scarlett had whispered, keeping her voice low so that no one might overhear and start a panicky rumour through the city.

"I don't truly know, yet, Scarlett. I have a few ideas only. I think I will try and persuade Wendell to call a council of all the Kings and Queens. Perhaps together, a solution will present itself"

"I will be there". Scarlett couldn't quite prevent herself from stealing a glance at Wendell as she said that. Virginia had smiled knowingly.

"Good. I am glad to have gotten to know you, Scarlett. Remember, the winter has already started in the north. Times will be bitter for those who live there..."

"I know, Virginia. But you also must know the opposition I will face here, least of all from myself"

"That you will, that you will. But I have confidence in you, Scarlett"

"So do I" offered Wolf then, his expression still decidedly neutral in the presence of so many 2nd Kingdom humans that were crowding the gates and looking down from the walls. But he nodded his head, a gesture between equals. Scarlett found it an odd situation to be in the presence of those she had feared and hated all her life, only to find that she did not feel those things at all. He had saved her life, yet again, when he could have so easily just left her bleeding out in the dirt. Was it fair to punish him for displaying those very human qualities? Scarlett knew her mind would be in a flux for some time with these revelations, but it was a thing she looked forward to now.

The Castle doors opened before her, a vast crowd of courtiers, hangers-on, relatives and servants clustering around her. She felt almost stifled for a moment, longing for the fresh air of the forest about her again. Raising her hand, she beckoned her castellan forward.

"Good man. I need to speak with my Lady Queen Mother. Send a man and carriage at once to her estate, if you would". The man, bowing, turned to do her bidding. Scarlett allowed herself to be attended on her way to her private chambers, but shut the door firmly in their faces when she reached them. Behind the closed doors, whispers and rumours would abound for some time to come. But Scarlett went to the window, throwing it wide. In the courtyard below, a carriage was already thundering out the gates to fetch Auburn here. Good, she thought. Scarlett had a great many questions for her mother today.

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Someone had once told her that you should never cry in front of your own children, no matter the reason. But Virginia had thrown that advice well out the window as soon as Castle White came into view. Not even the fat dark clouds that hung over the pristine turrets could dampen her joy. Wolf had been howling his arrival for many miles already. Now, he kicked up his horse to thunder down the drive and Virginia let Apple follow. On the steps stood a familiar little figure, his hand held firmly by Elsie lest he be trampled by the approaching horses. Wolf was half off the horse before it had stopped moving. In two long bounds, he had scooped up Caelum. Virginia asked Apple for a more sedate dismount, given her delicate condition, but the waves of love that washed over her were no less intense. The three of them stood huddled close, their own little world of love and family, as the rest of the travellers arrived. Servants bustled, friends called greetings, but none really got through to Virginia. Caelum was energetically recounting his own cubbish adventures in the castle in his own unique mixture of human babble and wolfish growling.

Finally, after an hour or so, someone actually got them to move out of the way of the main doors and into the castle proper. Virginia and Wolf took Caelum to their own suite for some long overdue coddling. Later, they joined Wendell, Tony, Elsie and the priest Frederick for dinner, where they shared all the details to those who had been left behind. Virginia thought that Frederick looked more relieved that sorrowed when Wolf informed him all too casually of Connor's death. Though he didn't mention the details, nor had he ever spoken of them to her, Virginia knew Wolf had killed the former priest. Virginia had mixed feelings about the man. Clearly he had been but a pawn in Hera's attempt at double-crossing them. Hera's motives in the whole affair were still unfathomable to Virginia. Why would she prompt Virginia in Coventina's direction? Was she hoping that bereft of her new power and strength, Virginia would be easily defeated by the Ice Queen? Or was she in fact backing Virginia, and therefore choosing her rival? Virginia decided that a visit to the old witch was well warranted, and soon. But not tonight. Tonight was a celebration, a reunion, a space to draw breath before the final plunge into the unknown.

Will came down late for dinner, his hand still bandaged up but healing nicely. Alice had been bathed and turned out in a beautiful little dress. Wendell told her that she looked just like a princess, and she turned beet red. Will introduced her to Caelum who was playing in front of the fire. The two cub cousins stared at each other solemnly for a moment. Alice pouted at her father as of to admonish him for expecting her to play with such a little cub, but within minutes the two of them were happily wrestling, and stalking the servants in the corridors.

Tony had nudged Virginia in the ribs a number of times over dinner, pointing out Wendell's rather vague expressions. The King toyed with his food, sighed loudly and blushed furiously when Wolf made his none too subtle jibes about his courtship of Scarlett. But Virginia could tell he wasn't even the slightest bit annoyed that everyone in the Castle knew. It seemed that the hopes and aspirations of endless noble ladies in the 4th Kingdom were about to be dashed forever. But he had focussed just enough to agree to talk with Virginia in the morning.

"So, will you finally be telling me what's been going on with you, Virginia?" he said.

"Absolutely. But you may wish you hadn't asked when you know what I know"

"I guessed as much. Strange tidings have been arriving here in the past week, apparently"

"And more will come, Wendell" Virginia replied, knowing that her words had caused a chill to descend over the table.

Wolf ambushed her from behind the closet in their room after the dinner had finished. He was hungry for a great deal more than food, Virginia saw with a smile. He patted fondly at her stomach, where the new cub, just days into life, nestled within her.

"You smell differently already" he said, and Virginia knew he was referring to her early pregnancy hormones. "Terribly tasty...delicious" he added suggestively. He drew her away towards the bed, but instead of leaping on her like she knew they both wanted, he stopped to caress her brow gently. "I love you, Virginia".

'I love you too"

"Virginia, what was it like? Meeting Coventina and the others, I mean"

"It's something I can't ever have imagined getting to do. Coventina, well, I don't know quite how to describe her. Like a great spirit made of water, I suppose. A part of her is in every living thing, you know, just like the Coven Lake is connected to all the waterways of the Kingdoms"

"And what did she show you? Did you gain knowledge? Magic?" Wolf asked. Virginia thought she could almost detect a note of fear in his voice. Did he think he'd lost her to greater powers and duties then?

"She showed me her water-mirrors, and in them I was able to see many things. None of them were nice to see. I saw my mother as she would have been had I not struck her down that night. She was terrible, Wolf. She had a coat made of your fur..."

"Huff...puff"

"Yes, but you know, even though she had gained all the power over the Kingdoms she wanted, still she was afraid. I was sure that something was troubling her, and I know now who that someone was"

"The Ice Queen"

"Yes, I'm sure of it. How ironic, huh?"

"I thought the Queen of the 8th Kingdom was old, powerless, or at least that's what most people think. It's been nearly a generation since she or her soldiers have made any incursions into the other Kingdoms. Even her ranting emmisaries have stopped coming across the borders in recent years"

"That will change. I've seen it, in the last mirror of Coventina. And yes, the Queen that you speak of is indeed old, with little power left to her. She has poured it all into her much younger successor. Together, they have laid many wards and enchantments along all the borders of each Kingdom. They wait only for the natural turning of the cycles to unleash their full magic on us"

"It makes me afraid, Virginia, to hear you talk like this. Maybe we should go back to New York, or something...maybe"

"And leave the Kingdoms to their fate? No, sorry love. Coventina didn't call me to her side just to give me a heads up on what's about to happen. She wants me to do something, or at least she thinks I should try"

"What can you do, Virginia?" Wolf asked, and she felt him blush in contrition. "Sorry, that came out wrong!"

"I know what you meant, Wolf. To tell you the truth, I don't know myself, and I suspect that neither Coventina, nor the Circle Of Sisters know themselves"

"Pity you had to give up the power of the wolf. At least then you would have had some physical advantages" Wolf said. Virginia felt her insides clench at the remembered vision of herself. The werewolf Queen. And her King? Almost as if he read her thoughts, Wolf turned to whisper in her ear.

"Virginia, will you marry me?"

"I will"

"Thank you"

"Do you want me as a wolf or woman?"

"Either. Both. It doesn't matter. Never has. But, all of a sudden, being married, or mated to you, in whatever fashion you want, that does matter, to me"

"And me too, Wolf". Virginia replied, feeling his kisses becoming deeper. She let herself flow into the passion.

Afterwards, Virginia relaxed into her soft bedding and pillows, but sleep eluded her later that night. Slipping out from under Wolf's drowsy cuddling, she went to the window. As she had for so many nights, she looked first to the north. The thin crescent moon illuminated fat snow flakes as they fell to cover the ground outside. Snow at the beginning of Autumn. It was unheard of this far south, she knew. Virginia held Coventina's gift up to the light, wondering. The flakes piled up on the windowsill.

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Far away, a pale faced former Queen was confessing the hidden crimes of her youth to her daughter.

To the west, a long dead body, rolling listlessly in the current, fetched up against something, and that something...stirred.

Closer to home, another long dead creature, but with mind and will intact, drew her meagre spells about her, waiting out the coming storm, wondering if she'd made the right decision.

In the world between the worlds, a Goddess felt the brittleness of ice upon the edges of her watery home.

And to the north, in the Kingdom long given up as dead and sterile in it's bleakness, a Rose sprang to bloom amid the snow.

**The End**

(To Be Concluded)

Authors Notes: I have to thank some people for their input into this story. Firstly, my friend WendyG, for listening to my endless ideas. Lena, Tracy and Alice for lending me their names and likenesses! And finally Cory, for "introducing" me to Coventina. Please feel free to leave whatever comment or review you like, and stay tuned for the grand finale!

Cheers, Karen


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